Get the Daily Brief
Latest Higher Education News
UNL program cuts draw faculty pushback — metrics and process questioned
An academic advisory group at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln opposed most of the chancellor’s proposed program eliminations, urging delay and more time for units to identify alternatives. The...
Penn mass hack... alumni, donor and student records exposed
An apparent mass data breach disrupted the University of Pennsylvania this week, prompting an ongoing FBI investigation and outside cyberforensics support. Penn acknowledged a social‑engineering...
California court keeps UC hiring ruling intact — system faces two policy battles
The California Supreme Court declined to review an appeals decision that found the University of California’s policy barring undocumented students from on‑campus employment is discriminatory,...
University leadership sweep: Georgetown, Utah State, LSU name presidents
A broad wave of presidential appointments and interim placements across U.S. colleges was announced this month. Notable moves include Eduardo M. Peñalver’s appointment as president of Georgetown...
USC on track to erase deficit — 900‑plus layoff notices issued
The University of Southern California said it is "on track" to eliminate a long‑term deficit by the end of the fiscal year after issuing more than 900 layoff notices since July. Interim president...
Nebraska productivity push... faculty alarm as programs face elimination
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s attempt to apply new productivity metrics to academic programs has prompted an outcry from faculty after leaders signaled six programs could be closed as part...
Education Department cuts Hawkins grants — HBCU teacher pipelines disrupted
The U.S. Department of Education abruptly informed multiple universities that it will discontinue remaining funding under the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence grants, a program that...
Partial SNAP funding — campuses scramble as food aid shortfalls bite
Federal court orders compelled the Trump administration to partially fund SNAP benefits for November, but the emergency reserves will cover roughly half of normal benefits and leave students and...
UT‑Austin declares academic freedom non‑negotiable — nationwide protests set
The University of Texas at Austin issued a firm statement affirming academic freedom as “non‑negotiable,” a response cultivated in part to the White House’s proposed higher‑education compact and...
AI joins the faculty — adoption surges at HBCUs, instructors weigh benefits and risks
Generative AI is increasingly embedded in teaching and campus operations. A Chronicle feature reports that more instructors are using AI tools in coursework and assessment, sparking debate over...
Students double‑down on majors as job anxiety rises — MBA classes shift too
Undergraduates are declaring additional majors at rising rates to bolster employability in a volatile labor market, Hechinger Report analysis shows. At institutions such as the University of...
China intimidation... Sheffield Hallam probe referred to counter‑terror police
An internal investigation into allegations that Sheffield Hallam University bowed to sustained pressure from Chinese actors has been escalated to counter‑terrorism police after documents showed...
Colleges scramble as SNAP payments halve: campus aid stretched
After court orders forced the administration to use emergency reserves, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced partial November SNAP payments — roughly half of normal benefits — leaving...
Scott gifts to HBCUs — major unrestricted donations reshape budgets
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has made two large unrestricted gifts to historically Black colleges: $80 million to Howard University and $50 million to Virginia State University. The...
Trump research overhaul: political vetting of grants and new funding compact
An executive order and related policy moves from the Trump administration are injecting political oversight into federal research funding, giving career grants new scrutiny by political appointees...
Williams alters handbook to recertify grants — Education Department still matters
Williams College faculty approved motions to remove race‑based language on admissions and hiring from the faculty handbook as part of an effort to comply with new federal grant conditions and...
Enrollment reality check: three questions every leader must answer
Higher‑education leaders are retooling recruitment and enrollment strategies as the traditional high‑school pipeline shrinks and student needs shift. Institutions are being urged to ask whether...
Non‑degree credential boom — states lead funding but data lag threatens oversight
A Pew Research Center report finds attainment of non‑degree credentials — certificates, bootcamps, micro‑credentials and apprenticeships — has tripled since 2009, with as many as one‑third of U.S....
Free speech and campus media: Indiana U reverses print ban after censorship fight
Indiana University restored funding and will allow the student newspaper to resume printing after administrators faced backlash for alleged attempts to censor a homecoming edition. The controversy...
AI curriculum and integrity... business schools add AI tracks as plagiarism norms shift
The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business announced a new AI concentration for full‑time MBA students, formalising coursework that blends AI fundamentals, business application, and...