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Athletics in crisis and campuses pivot operations to plug budget gaps
A Knight Commission survey of Division I administrators found broad pessimism: 60% of college leaders say big‑time athletics are headed in the wrong direction, with 75% warning a new...
Major philanthropy backs DEI — study finds institutional supports drive Native student belonging
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced a $42 million gift to 10,000 Degrees and continued major support for Native and HBCU scholarship funds, signaling continued private investment...
AI misuse and automation risk — campuses confront cheating and bias
Perplexity AI’s CEO publicly warned students not to use the company’s Comet browser to complete coursework after a viral video showed the agent finishing a Coursera assignment in seconds. The...
White House sends compact to universities: State lawmakers issue funding warning
The White House distributed a proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence" to nine research universities, offering preferential federal research access in exchange for sweeping conditions, and set a...
Carnegie Mellon trims SEI staff: 75 roles cut amid federal research shifts
Carnegie Mellon University announced layoffs of 75 employees — about 10% of staff — at its Software Engineering Institute (SEI), citing changing federal funding priorities and the institute’s...
U.K. sector shedding staff: Tens of thousands of university roles cut
New analysis from the University and College Union (UCU) shows U.K. universities announced more than 12,000 job cuts over the past year, with additional cost-saving measures equivalent to roughly...
Regulator warns universities on protests: OfS prepared to sanction over antisemitism
The Office for Students (OfS), the U.K. higher-education regulator, warned universities could face sanctions if pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations devolve into harassment or discrimination...
Generative AI on campus: Leaders push balance between scaling tools and human connection
Reports from EDUCAUSE and WGU Labs show campus leaders and students see generative AI as a force multiplier for administrative efficiency, tutoring and assessment feedback — but both bodies...
Should campuses upgrade to Wi‑Fi 7? IT leaders weigh costs and density needs
A new brief argues Wi‑Fi 7 can deliver major gains in speed and efficiency for high-density campus environments, though many institutions with constrained budgets and adequate existing networks...
Education Department civil‑rights lead confirmed: OCR faces backlog and staffing strain
The Senate confirmed Kimberly Richey as assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education in a narrow 51–47 vote. Richey, who served in OCR roles in prior Republican...
Transnational education surge: UK providers set to reach 1 million overseas students
Universities UK International (UUKi) reported that 653,570 students studied with UK higher‑education providers overseas in 2023–24 — a 7.8% year‑on‑year rise and an average annual growth rate of...
World University Rankings 2026 released: Oxford stays top as US share slips
Times Higher Education released its World University Rankings 2026, placing the University of Oxford at number one for a 10th consecutive year while documenting stagnation among Asia’s elite and a...
Program cuts at Nebraska‑Lincoln spark faculty revolt: Data, transparency under fire
Faculty at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln challenged administrative plans to eliminate six academic programs and consolidate departments, arguing the process lacked transparency and relied on...
Trump compact — Universities weigh autonomy for research access
University faculties, senates and staff unions pushed back this week after the White House circulated a proposed "compact" that would give signatory institutions preferential access to federal...
H‑1B fee battle — Campuses and unions sue over $100,000 charge
Higher education leaders and faculty unions have escalated their response to the administration’s new $100,000 H‑1B fee, filing litigation and warning of immediate harm to research, clinical...
Western accreditor drops DEI language: Standards rewritten
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges’ Senior College and University Commission formally adopted revised accreditation standards that remove explicit references to diversity, equity and...
Richey confirmed as OCR chief – Takes on 12,000 open probes
The Senate confirmed Kimberly Richey to lead the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in a 51–47 party-line vote. Richey, who previously served in OCR under the Bush and Trump...
Nebraska program cuts — Faculty question data and transparency
University of Nebraska–Lincoln leaders proposed winding down six academic programs and consolidating units to cut $27.5 million from UNL’s budget; faculty raised alarms at a system board meeting...
Oxford tops THE rankings — UK sector shows strain
The University of Oxford retained the No. 1 slot in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the 10th consecutive year, with Cambridge and Imperial also remaining in the global top...
Evacuated Gaza scholars begin UK terms — Funded placements start
Dozens of students and scholars evacuated from Gaza have begun or are preparing to begin funded programs at UK universities after months of lobbying by British politicians and academics. The...