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FAFSA completions surge for class of 2026 — early aid activity jumps 52%
The high school class of 2026 has filed roughly 1.6 million FAFSA applications as of Jan. 23 — about 52% more than the class of 2025 at the same point, according to National College Attainment...
Cash crunch and consolidation risk: public campuses seek new oversight tools
Southern Oregon University told its governing board it faces a rapid cash‑flow decline that could produce a negative balance by spring 2027 unless new resources arrive. Administrators cited...
FAFSA surge... States pull back: early aid filings spike as state support softens
High school seniors and other filers have surged to complete the FAFSA this admissions cycle while state budgets show the smallest growth in higher‑education support since 2021. The National...
ICE at school gates – litigation escalates: districts and faculty sue over campus enforcement
Two Minnesota school districts and university faculty members filed federal lawsuits Wednesday challenging Department of Homeland Security and ICE policies that permit immigration enforcement at...
Campus partnership collapses: St. John’s ends CBP deal amid campus uproar
St. John’s University announced it has suspended a planned Institute for Border Security and Intelligence partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection after intense campus backlash and...
Accreditation rule‑making... Washington moves: DOE timelines meet sector debate at CHEA
Negotiated rule‑making dates are set and federal accreditation reform is moving onto institutional agendas as the U.S. Department of Education prepares regulatory changes. Inside Higher Ed’s...
ETS eyes sale of testing crown jewels – GRE and TOEFL on the block
Educational Testing Service has entered exploratory talks to sell or seek investors for the GRE and TOEFL, according to reporting that places an asking price near $500 million. ETS, the nonprofit...
Ivy belt rethinks budgets: Princeton to tighten spending as endowment outlook softens
Princeton University’s president Christopher Eisgruber announced a budget tightening and signalled the university will seek consolidations and cuts to offset a weaker endowment outlook and new...
Cash crisis at a public campus: Southern Oregon warns of looming liquidity shortfall
Southern Oregon University told its governing board that it faces 'significant liquidity risks' and could breach its safety threshold and run a negative cash balance by spring 2027 without new...
Faculty oversight intensifies – surveillance, syllabi rules and teaching mandates
State and institutional actions are formalizing new oversight of faculty practices, from requirements to post syllabi publicly to legislative proposals that would dictate faculty workload....
Post‑SFFA enrollment cascade – elite spots shrink while flagships gain
Federal data and new analyses show the Supreme Court’s 2023 rulings on affirmative action reshaped where underrepresented minority students enroll. Class Action’s report and federal figures found...
AI readiness... campus compute and policy: systems, costs and governance
Public university leaders and IT planners are confronting the compute, storage and policy demands of campus‑scale AI. The Universities of Wisconsin system head signalled a concerted push for AI...
ETS Considers Selling GRE and TOEFL: Testing Market Up for Grabs
ETS has opened exploratory talks to divest two cornerstone exams — the GRE and TOEFL — signaling a potential private-market shakeup in graduate admissions and international student testing. People...
State Support Slows: SHEEO Data Shows Just 1% Increase in Higher‑Ed Funding
The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association reported a 1 percent national increase in state appropriations for higher education for fiscal 2026 — the smallest year‑over‑year rise...
Princeton Tightens Budget: Endowment Outlook Forces Cuts — And Forums
Princeton University announced a new tightening of its budget after a shift in its endowment outlook prompted leadership to call for consolidation and targeted reductions. President Christopher...
Southern Oregon U. Faces Cash Shortfall: Liquidity Risk by Mid‑Year
Southern Oregon University leaders told their governing board that the campus faces “significant liquidity risks” and could fail to meet obligations by spring 2027 without new financial resources....
Campus Leadership Shuffle: Multiple Presidencies, Politicized Picks — New Wave
A string of presidential appointments and departures across U.S. colleges signals a leadership churn as institutions seek executives capable of navigating political pressure and financial strain....
Campus Surveillance Grows: New Rules Push Syllabi, Tip Lines, and Oversight
Universities and state legislatures are formalizing increased scrutiny of faculty teaching and classroom content. New laws and institutional policies now require more detailed syllabus...
University of Sussex Challenges OfS Fine: High Court Battle Over Free‑Speech Ruling
The University of Sussex has launched a High Court challenge seeking to quash a record £585,000 fine levied by England’s Office for Students for allegedly failing to uphold freedom of speech....
Education Dept. Civil‑Rights Shakeup Costly: GAO Flags $28M–$38M and Case Backlog
A Government Accountability Office review found the Education Department spent as much as $38 million paying Office for Civil Rights employees who were placed on administrative leave amid planned...