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Admissions testing policy at UC: faculty move to reassess standardized tests
The University of California system has put standardized testing back in focus as its academic leaders reassess admissions policy over the coming year, amid renewed faculty pressure to restore...
Federal grant evaluation: executive branch seeks rule changes that reduce peer-review influence
A new federal rule proposal would rework how colleges, universities, and other grant recipients are evaluated for funding by shifting grant decisions away from independent peer reviewers toward...
Student aid access: Washington governor proposes FAFSA-at-graduation requirement
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson unveiled a proposal to require high school seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)—or a state equivalent—to graduate. Students could...
AI governance and higher-ed compliance: AGB OnBoard highlights boards lagging on AI oversight
New governance research from AGB’s OnBoard shows higher education boards are rapidly adopting AI tools for board work while lagging on formal AI oversight. In the latest Board Effectiveness...
Campus climate and faculty governance under pressure: Northwestern tenure denial tied to pro-Palestine activism lawsuit
Journalism professor Steven Thrasher sued Northwestern University and multiple federal officials, alleging his tenure denial was driven by pressure tied to his pro-Palestine activism and related...
University security and data privacy risk: Canvas faces another threat report
A new report raises concerns about another security threat involving Canvas, prompting higher education IT teams to reassess vendor risk and incident readiness. With Canvas used widely for course...
Higher-ed finance and restructuring: CBO cost visibility and structural change gaps
A new Inside Higher Ed/Hanover Research survey of 213 chief business officers finds cost understanding and restructuring remain uneven across colleges. Only 13% of CBOs say their institutions...
Institutional enrollment operations: UNC Greensboro tackles summer melt through workflow redesign
UNC Greensboro reported that communication gaps—not student indifference—were creating enrollment risk as admitted students failed to complete critical steps before the start of the term. The...
Student success and admissions fairness: UC testing review and study-abroad leadership claims broaden the conversation
While UC leadership debates standardized testing, another new report underscores the skills higher education claims to develop through international learning experiences. A survey from the...
Affordability policy and institutional planning: Pennsylvania performance-based funding update for major universities
Penn State, Temple, and the University of Pittsburgh will share $10 million in new performance-based state funding under a recently signed Pennsylvania budget package, providing an additional...
Admissions testing policy shifts at major systems
California’s admissions testing review took a procedural turn as a UC advisory board suspended its planned work on whether to reinstate standardized testing requirements. The system’s Board of...
State financial aid access mandates expand
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson moved to tighten FAFSA participation by proposing a requirement for high school students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (or a state...
Federal grant-making rules face politicized overhaul risk
Federal agencies are moving toward a tighter, appointee-driven process for evaluating and potentially terminating research and other federal grants, according to a proposal that would shift review...
Higher-ed governance independence and board oversight under pressure
AGB’s new CEO update at the 250th anniversary of the nation doubles down on governance independence, warning that governing boards can’t become partisan vehicles. In remarks framed around a...
AI governance and board effectiveness become explicit accreditation concerns
AGB’s OnBoard board effectiveness survey finds that AI use is racing ahead of formal AI governance in higher education and beyond. Among board directors surveyed, 92% reported using AI for board...
Enrollment communications reduce melt risk at a large public university
UNC Greensboro identified “communication gaps” as a driver of summer melt and responded by redesigning student outreach and administrative workflows. Business analyst Adwoa Arhin described how...
Campus digital reliability becomes a student experience risk
Institutions expanding cloud platforms, virtual labs, and hybrid learning are increasingly facing “digital instability” that shows up as small, repeated friction points rather than systemwide...
New partnership adds housing capacity through private development
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville won state approval to expand campus housing through a public-private partnership, adding three new dorms after the opening of Torchbearer Hall. UT and the...
Institution-level analytics and workflow centralization in large university systems
California State University is building a centralized approach to managing workflows across its 22 campuses to reduce bottlenecks created by decentralized decision-making and legacy processes....
University accreditation and program evaluation under shifting AI-era assumptions
Business schools are drawing sharper lines around how AI changes learning assessments and what counts as credible evidence of student work. One report describes an Ivy League professor using...