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Universities strike compliance deals — faculty and senates push back
A string of settlements and compacts between the federal government and major universities—Northwestern, Columbia, Brown, Cornell and Penn among them—has drawn furious debate on campuses about...
Education Department reorganization sparks litigation — library grants restored by court
The Trump administration’s reorganization of the Education Department—moving programs and staff to other agencies—prompted a multi‑state lawsuit and calls for Secretary Linda McMahon’s...
Supreme Court to weigh birthright citizenship — states’ college‑access rules under scrutiny
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review whether President Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship complies with the 14th Amendment, a decision that school leaders say could have...
Academic freedom and campus speech flareups — prize declined, grading dispute reignites debate
A Purdue history professor declined the Modern Language Association’s Scaglione Prize in protest of the association’s decisions and handling of resolutions related to Israel and Gaza, signaling...
Governance and politics: AGB urges Virginia reset as federal agenda reshapes boards
The Association of Governing Boards wrote to Virginia’s governor‑elect urging a reversal of recent politicized appointments to college boards, days after heightened federal scrutiny and...
AI in admissions and campus security: adoption accelerates as fraud risks rise
Colleges are moving AI into operational areas such as admissions—Southeast Missouri State is an early example—and vendors and startups are racing to meet new security needs. The rise in AI...
Employers press campuses for work‑oriented learning — soft skills gap persists
Corporate executives are telling K‑12 and higher‑education leaders to expand career and technical education, internships and hands‑on experiences so graduates emerge with workplace‑ready skills....
Education Dept. presents Workforce Pell draft: eight‑week programs targeted
The U.S. Department of Education released draft regulatory language outlining how short‑term workforce training programs could qualify for the new Workforce Pell Grants. The draft specifies state...
Education Dept. reshuffle prompts lawsuits — states and Democrats push back
The Trump administration’s moves to shrink and redistribute functions of the U.S. Department of Education have triggered lawsuits, calls for Secretary Linda McMahon’s resignation, and widespread...
Universities accept Trump agreements — oversight tradeoffs emerge
Several major universities have reached settlement agreements with the Trump administration to end investigations and restore frozen research funds, a tactic that has drawn sharp debate about...
Yale braces for layoffs — $300M endowment tax forces belt‑tightening
Yale University told faculty and staff it expects layoffs as it prepares to pay roughly $300 million a year under a new higher endowment tax that takes effect in 2026. Senior leaders said schools...
Rating agencies flag higher‑ed credit risk: 2026 outlook turns negative
Three major rating agencies—Fitch, S&P Global and Moody’s—issued negative outlooks for U.S. higher education credit in 2026, citing declining enrollment, caps on federal loan programs, visa and...
Cost becomes graduate‑enrollment gatekeeper — adult learners balk at price
A new survey of more than 8,000 current and prospective graduate and adult learners found cost is now the top factor in program choice, surpassing accreditation. The EAB report shows 60% of...
MacKenzie Scott directs $155M to public colleges — MSIs and access schools prioritized
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced more than $155 million in gifts to public, access‑oriented institutions this week, delivering record single donations to campuses that serve large shares...
Interior to manage tribal college funds — leaders warn of disruption
As the Education Department shifts programs to other federal agencies, the Department of the Interior will take over management of tribal college funding—prompting warnings that the change could...
FTC tells Texas court ABA holds 'monopoly' on law‑school accreditation
The Federal Trade Commission told the Texas Supreme Court that the American Bar Association operates as a de‑facto monopoly in law‑school accreditation, arguing ABA standards impose costly and...
Purdue scholar rejects MLA prize over Gaza policy — academic protest escalates
Tithi Bhattacharya, a history professor at Purdue University, formally declined the Modern Language Association’s Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for South Asian Studies in protest of the MLA’s...
Universities cut deals with Trump – research funds restored
Northwestern, Columbia, Brown, Cornell and Penn have each struck settlement agreements with the Trump administration to unfreeze federal research funds and end federal investigations, trading...
Education Department fragmented – states sue, McMahon targeted
The Biden‑era Department of Education has been substantially reorganized under Secretary Linda McMahon, prompting lawsuits and bipartisan outcry as core programs and staff are shifted to other...
George Mason faculty urge leaders: reject Trump compacts
George Mason University’s faculty senate voted to press campus leadership and trustees to reject any settlement with the Trump administration that would subject the university to prolonged federal...