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Elite colleges shift to economic diversity — early aid previews emerge
Selective campuses are boosting low‑income enrollment as administrators pivot to economic diversity after the Supreme Court’s ban on race‑conscious admissions. Princeton, among others, reported...
Boards and presidents press on free speech as federal oversight tightens
Trustees, presidents and advocacy groups are sharpening guidance on campus expression as federal reviews and policy pressure mount. The Association of Governing Boards hosted discussions with PEN...
Top MBA programs report later hires but steady pay in cooling market
Leading MBA programs reported a slower hiring cycle for the Class of 2025 while median compensation remained stable. University of Michigan’s Ross School said job offers by graduation lagged...
Education Department Opens Accreditation Rewrite: Public comment sought
The U.S. Education Department formally requested public comment on overhauling the federal accreditation handbook, launching a review aimed at cutting “unduly burdensome” requirements and boosting...
House education panel advances financial-aid clarity: Net-price tool and standardized letters
The House Education and Workforce Committee advanced two bipartisan bills that would reshape how students see college costs. Lawmakers voted to direct the Education Department to build a universal...
College operating costs climb: HEPI shows 3.6% rise in fiscal 2025
The Higher Education Price Index rose 3.6% in fiscal 2025, the Commonfund Institute reported, signaling continued elevated inflation pressures on campus budgets. HEPI’s latest reading outpaced the...
DOJ pressure and campus controversy... Harvard center director to step down
Reporting alleges the Justice Department under the current administration pressured lawyers to “find” evidence that UCLA had tolerated antisemitism in its programs, escalating scrutiny of campus...
Disability accommodations surge at elites — critics and donors push back
Universities are reporting sharp increases in students seeking disability accommodations—extended time, ADHD and mental‑health diagnoses—fueling debate over diagnosis rates and academic standards....
International students report fear; Purdue faces allegations over 'adversary nation' admissions
A Stop AAPI Hate survey found international students reporting heightened fear, decreased belonging and concerns about visa security under current federal policies. More than half of respondents...
Elite colleges prioritize economic diversity; some pilot early aid previews for Early Decision
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative‑action rulings, selective institutions are shifting recruitment toward socioeconomic diversity, reporting record increases in Pell‑eligible and...
House elevates skills transcripts as transfer battles continue — evaluation systems frustrate learners
A House hearing highlighted the potential of skills‑based transcripts and learning records as tools to connect education to employment, with Republicans and Democrats both signaling interest in...
Pacific and Willamette negotiate merger — plan would create largest private university in Oregon
Pacific University and Willamette University signed a letter of intent to negotiate a definitive merger that would create Oregon’s largest private institution, provisionally dubbed the University...
Education Department restores $208M for school mental‑health work after grant cancellations
The Education Department awarded more than $208 million through 65 grants to expand school mental‑health services, completing a year‑long effort that followed the abrupt cancellation of hundreds...
Education Dept. opens accreditation overhaul: public comment sought
The U.S. Department of Education has launched a formal request for information to revise its accreditation handbook, asking stakeholders for concrete ideas to reduce bureaucratic burdens and boost...
House education panel advances financial-aid transparency: net-price tool and standard award letters
The House Education and Workforce Committee voted to advance two bipartisan bills that would force federal action on college price transparency. Lawmakers advanced the Student Financial Clarity...
College costs climb 3.6% — HEPI flags sustained inflationary pressure
The Higher Education Price Index rose 3.6% in fiscal 2025, according to the Commonfund Institute’s HEPI release, extending a multi-year period of elevated cost pressures for colleges and...
Emporia State’s outgoing president donates $1.4M — aftermath of contested faculty cuts
Ken Hush, who became Emporia State University president in 2021 and is retiring this month, announced a roughly $1.4 million gift to the university—the equivalent of his last four years of salary....
Harvard FXB director to step down — center to refocus amid scrutiny over Palestine program
Mary Bassett will step down as director of Harvard’s François‑Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights on Jan. 9, 2026, Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health announced. Dean...
Pacific and Willamette signal merger: two Oregon colleges plan to create a larger private university
Pacific University and Willamette University signed a letter of intent to negotiate a merger that would create the largest private university in Oregon, provisionally called the University of the...
Education Department reissues mental‑health grants: 65 awards follow earlier cancellations
The U.S. Department of Education announced 65 new grant awards—totaling more than $208 million—to bolster school mental‑health services and training for future school psychologists after a...