Get the Daily Brief
Latest Higher Education News
Universities recover less of research overhead — study finds $7.06bn shortfall
A study commissioned by research university associations finds that universities are reimbursed at lower effective rates for indirect research costs than private industry and federal laboratories....
Education Dept. targets accreditors—rules to ease new entrants, curb DEI
The U.S. Department of Education unveiled plans to rewrite accreditation regulations, proposing easier paths for new accreditors and explicit limits on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)...
Columbia taps UW–Madison chancellor—Mnookin to lead amid turmoil
Columbia University selected Jennifer Mnookin, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, to be its next president, naming a leader with a record of negotiating campus protests and state...
Court papers show DHS targeted campus speech—judge warns against status changes
Newly unsealed court documents show Department of Homeland Security officials recommended arrests and immigration actions tied to pro‑Palestinian campus activism, according to court filings. The...
Twin Cities campuses shift operations—remote classes, escorts after ICE raids
Universities in the Twin Cities moved some instruction online, added campus escorts and increased security after federal immigration operations and protests escalated in Minneapolis. Institutions...
Senate probes math readiness—selective colleges get data demand
Sen. Bill Cassidy launched an investigation into freshman math placements at selective institutions, sending document requests to 35 universities after a University of California San Diego report...
ETS markets GRE and TOEFL—testing nonprofit seeks buyers or partners
Educational Testing Service is exploring a sale or strategic investments for the GRE and TOEFL, the nonprofit’s board told reporters. The GRE has seen taker declines as many graduate programs...
Study finds universities under‑reimbursed on research overheads
A study commissioned by research‑university associations concluded universities recover a smaller share of federally sponsored research indirect costs than private industry, highlighting a $7.06...
Race lectures scrubbed, tenure under pressure—academic freedom frays
Professors at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock withdrew from a lecture series after administrators suggested changing titles and descriptions to avoid legislative scrutiny of race‑related...
Students trust mental‑health care but rarely use campus services
A new survey from the Hi, How Are You Project found 55% of students received some form of mental‑health care but only 18% used campus services, signaling a gap between trust and uptake. Students...
GWU halts Ph.D. admissions as visa, travel bans squeeze internationals
George Washington University paused admissions to five Ph.D. programs, citing financial constraints and a sharp decline in international applicants, the institution said. The pause reflects...
Columbia names UW–Madison chancellor as president – leadership churn ends
Columbia University selected Jennifer Mnookin, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, as its next president. Mnookin, who has led UW–Madison since 2022, will remain at Madison through...
Northwestern deal and free-speech debate – federal leverage reorders campus policy
Northwestern University agreed to a $75 million settlement with the federal government that restores access to roughly $790 million in research funds but imposes new restrictions on admissions...
Court unseals DHS targeting documents – judge bars status changes for protest plaintiffs
Federal court documents unsealed evidence that the Department of Homeland Security considered arrests and immigration actions tied to campus pro‑Palestinian activism, prompting fresh legal...
Cal State settles with faculty union over data sharing — notification required
California State University reached a settlement with its faculty union requiring advance notice to employees before the system shares personal information with federal agencies investigating...
Senate probe into freshman math — colleges pressed for placement data
Sen. Bill Cassidy launched an inquiry into math placements at 35 selective institutions after reports that many incoming students place below expected levels, citing a UC San Diego working group...
DHS funding standoff raises shutdown risk — education budgets on the line
Senate Democrats announced they would withhold support for the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill unless it is rewritten to include restrictions on ICE operations, increasing the...
George Washington pauses admissions to five Ph.D. programs amid financial squeeze
George Washington University suspended admissions to five doctoral programs, citing budgetary constraints and a steep decline in international applicants. The pause comes as many institutions...
Tenure under threat: fall firings expose eroding protections
A wave of high‑profile faculty dismissals last fall has prompted scrutiny of tenure protections and prompted debate over how easily long‑standing safeguards can be weakened. The report charts a...
The hybrid college wins: students want flexibility, institutions must adapt
New research finds that students prefer a blend of residential campus life and regular online coursework; 91% of high‑school respondents want at least one online course per semester, and...