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Admissions and pedagogy: AI moves from threat to admissions tool
After a period of alarm over AI‑driven cheating, some colleges are deploying AI in admissions operations. Admissions teams at institutions such as Virginia Tech and Caltech are testing AI readers...
K‑12 districts adopt AI for operations and policy—two models emerge
Districts are piloting AI for operational efficiency while also crafting governance frameworks. Austin ISD deployed generative AI to build master schedules across 33 secondary campuses, saving...
Campus finance and leadership churn: budget fixes and abrupt firings
The University of Chicago reported a 44% reduction in its fiscal‑2025 budget deficit to $160 million after multi‑year belt‑tightening and revenue diversification, the university’s CFO said. The...
Trustees under fire: new guidance to curb politicized board overreach
A Center for American Progress report warns that politicized governing boards have eroded academic freedom at public universities and recommends limiting board authority over teaching and...
Northwestern deal: $75M payment restores access to $790M in federal research
Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million and make policy changes to end investigations and regain roughly $790 million in federal research funding, university officials said. Interim...
States sue: Education Department shifts K–12 and postsecondary grants to other agencies
A coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. Department of Education after the agency moved major K–12 and higher-education grant programs to other federal departments,...
New CAP playbook: Prevent trustee overreach — board limits recommended
The Center for American Progress released a report urging clearer limits on governing boards after documenting instances where politicized trustees intervened in curriculum, hiring and tenure...
Ten colleges name presidents — wave of campus leadership changes
A fresh round of presidential appointments swept public and private colleges this season. Institutions from Hartwick College to Iowa State University announced new leaders, with several hires...
Budget stress and closures: UChicago halves deficit — Limestone University collapses
The University of Chicago reported a sharply reduced fiscal 2025 deficit — down about 44% to $160 million — after aggressive cuts, enrollment-driven revenue gains and fundraising, CFO Ivan...
NETC board fires president amid accreditor sanctions and enrollment irregularities
Northeastern Technical College abruptly fired President Kyle Wagner after the board rescinded an earlier resignation agreement, the college announced. Wagner, who had led NETC since 2016, had been...
Admissions offices turn to AI: Colleges deploy tools to vet essays and speed decisions
Following a wave of concerns over AI‑assisted cheating, admissions offices at several universities are now using artificial intelligence to screen, verify and triage applications, enrollment...
Business schools retool: Wharton adds AI tracks as students flock to AI majors
Elite business schools are reworking curricula to integrate AI, ethics and governance as finance and banking roles evolve, administrators said. Wharton announced a new AI‑focused track that blends...
Campus cyber risks and the pipeline fix: Dartmouth breach and an Alabama pathway
Dartmouth College confirmed hackers accessed Oracle E‑Business Suite files in an incident that exposed data on more than 35,000 people, prompting notifications and identity‑protection offers. The...
Student deportation: Babson freshman removed despite emergency court order
Any Lucia López Belloza, a 19‑year‑old Babson College student, was detained at Boston Logan Airport returning from Thanksgiving plans and deported to Honduras, her family and university sources...
Education Dept. outsourcing faces legal blow: coalition sues to stop transfers
A coalition of 20 states, school districts, unions and disability advocates filed amended lawsuits this month challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s plan to shift core programs to other...
Northwestern deal with Washington: $75M pact restores research funding
Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million over three years and accept several policy changes to regain access to roughly $790 million in federal research funds, closing three agency probes...
Boards under scrutiny: new CAP report urges limits on trustee power
The Center for American Progress released a report this week arguing that politicized governing boards have eroded academic freedom and recommends structural limits to prevent trustee overreach....
Students and faculty detained at airports: campuses confront immigration enforcement
Two high-profile immigration incidents this week put campus mobility and student protections in the spotlight. Any Lucia López Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman, was detained during a...
Dartmouth data breach: 35,000 individuals exposed in Oracle EBS attack
Dartmouth College disclosed a cyberattack tied to vulnerabilities in Oracle E-Business Suite that exposed personal and financial data for more than 35,000 people across multiple states. The...
Presidential turnover and firings: 10 new presidents — plus an abrupt ouster in South Carolina
Higher-education leadership continued to turn over this month: at least ten institutions announced new presidents, including appointments at Hartwick College, Iowa State, Duquesne and Mercer. The...