Get the Daily Brief

All action, no filler. hied.news delivers the industry’s 10 must-know updates, every morning.

Latest Higher Education News

Post‑tenure review adopted in South Dakota — critics say tenure under threat

January 09, 2026

Under mounting political and public pressure, the South Dakota Board of Regents adopted a statewide post‑tenure review policy designed to increase faculty accountability, officials said. The board...

Tennessee campus settles tenure dispute — professor reinstated, university pays $500K

January 09, 2026

Austin Peay State University has reinstated a tenured theater professor and agreed to a $500,000 settlement after improperly terminating him for a social‑media post about the killing of...

UC posts record enrollment — more than 301,000 students even as federal pressure mounts

January 09, 2026

The University of California system reported record enrollment—surpassing 301,000 students—as it heads into a budget debate in Sacramento, the system said. The rise comes amid intensified federal...

Education Department panel split — earnings-test vote in doubt

January 09, 2026

A bipartisan negotiated-rulemaking panel advising the U.S. Education Department failed to coalesce around a proposed earnings test, leaving a consensus vote uncertain. Department officials held...

Austin Peay settles and reinstates professor — $500,000 payout

January 09, 2026

Austin Peay State University reinstated tenured theater professor Darren Michael and agreed to a $500,000 settlement after his 2025 termination for a social-media post drew national attention. The...

Sidechat outpaces alerts at Brown — students turned to anonymous feeds

January 09, 2026

During the December active-shooter attack on Brown University, students used the anonymous campus message board Sidechat to share real-time information minutes before the university issued an...

Cooper Union settles suit — protest rules revised

January 09, 2026

Cooper Union reached a settlement with Jewish students who alleged the college tolerated discrimination after a pro-Palestinian demonstration blocked access to a campus library, according to...

Education Department seeds new accreditors: $14.5 million awarded

January 09, 2026

The U.S. Department of Education awarded $14.5 million to 15 projects aimed at reworking accreditation and expanding the number of recognized accreditors, a move tied to a 2025 executive order on...

University of California posts record enrollment — system tops 301,000

January 09, 2026

The University of California system reported record enrollment of more than 301,000 students even as campus leaders brace for a budget showdown in Sacramento, university officials said. The...

WGU Labs: AI will reshape campuses — four changes to expect

January 09, 2026

WGU Labs released research outlining four ways generative AI will alter higher education operations and pedagogy in 2026, forecasting more sophisticated AI assistants, emotionally intelligent...

Employers narrow campus lists — recruiters return to elite schools

January 09, 2026

Recruiters are increasingly concentrating campus hiring at a short list of target institutions, reversing a prior push that emphasized broader talent sourcing, industry research shows. A Veris...

Liverpool names provost for Bengaluru campus — India branch set to open

January 09, 2026

The University of Liverpool appointed Professor Richard Grose as provost of its new Bengaluru campus as the Russell Group institution prepares to admit its first cohort in August. Grose, formerly...

Campus cyberattacks surge — universities remain exposed

January 09, 2026

Recent breaches and security incidents underscore why cyberattacks continue to proliferate across higher education: decentralized IT environments, open data-sharing norms, and the research mission...

Education Dept $14.5M push: funds new accreditor pilots

January 08, 2026

Lead: The U.S. Department of Education awarded $14.5 million to 15 projects this week to seed new models of college accreditation and to pilot alternative accrediting agencies. The grants,...

Martin University abruptly shuts: board cites rising debt

January 08, 2026

Lead: Martin University announced an immediate closure and asset sales after its board said the small Indianapolis institution could no longer sustain operations amid declining enrollment, rising...

Cambridge college row: Trinity Hall to court private schools

January 08, 2026

Lead: Trinity Hall, a college at the University of Cambridge, approved a targeted recruitment policy to approach a small set of elite private schools—prompting alumni, social‑mobility charities...

Enrollment split: UC surges — small private misses mark

January 08, 2026

Lead: Enrollment patterns diverged across the U.S. higher‑education landscape this week as the University of California reported record headcount while a small New England college disclosed it...

Oregon higher ed urges mergers: commission seeks 'integration' plan

January 08, 2026

Lead: Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission voted to recommend “institutional integration” across the state’s public colleges and universities, asking lawmakers to direct the...

UNL fallout: chancellor’s $1.1M payout fuels faculty revolt

January 08, 2026

Lead: Faculty at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln criticized a $1.1 million separation payment to outgoing Chancellor Rodney Bennett after he announced his resignation amid a contentious round...

AI in academe... from student aides to translational labs

January 08, 2026

Lead: New research and policy notes argue artificial intelligence will reconfigure both campus operations and the path from lab discovery to real‑world application. WGU Labs released a set of...