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Darden names interim dean who won’t seek permanent post — UVA launches national search
The University of Virginia appointed Michael Lenox as interim dean of the Darden School of Business; Lenox explicitly stated he does not intend to be the permanent dean. The move buys time for a...
Campus AI flunks on bad data — colleges urged to fix governance before scaling tools
Higher education institutions deploying artificial intelligence are confronting a common barrier: poor data quality and weak governance. Experts warn that AI projects in colleges and universities...
Colleges pivot to careers — co‑ops, microcredentials and employer ties top 2026 bets
Top colleges are intensifying career‑focused programming—co‑ops, internships, employer partnerships and skills training—as graduates face a tighter market. Forbes’ list of career‑launching...
Northwestern deal: federal funding restored but compliance terms tighten
Northwestern University struck an agreement with the Trump administration to restore nearly $800 million in frozen federal research funding after the Education and Justice Departments accused the...
Academic freedom clash: universities discipline faculty as donors and allies push back
Two high‑profile faculty governance fights escalated this week as campus disciplinary moves and donor interventions converged. One university concluded that a professor’s social‑media post —...
Darden interim leadership: school names caretaker dean who won’t seek permanent post
The University of Virginia appointed Michael Lenox as interim dean of the Darden School of Business, and Lenox made clear he will not pursue the permanent deanship. The move follows Scott...
Sector consolidation: campus closures and mergers reshape the higher‑education map
The higher‑education sector continued to consolidate in 2025 with at least 15 campus closures and a wave of mergers and acquisitions aimed at stabilizing enrollment and finances. Small private...
NIH reverses course: agency agrees to review grants it previously shelved
The National Institutes of Health agreed in court filings to reexamine hundreds of grant applications that it had previously shelved or denied under the prior administration. The reversal follows...
Student‑loan overhaul: borrowing access narrows while repayment rules shift
Federal financial‑aid rules set to take effect in July will curb access to billions in student loans, retool repayment pathways, and expand grant funding for short‑term career training. Education...
Student basic needs: food insecurity spikes on campuses
Nearly two in five college students now report experiencing food insecurity, and campus food pantries are seeing sharp increases in demand. Administrators and student‑affairs teams report that...
Career pipelines: colleges and employers tighten ties to convert degrees into jobs
Colleges are embedding workplace experiences into curricula as employers sharpen hiring criteria for new graduates. Universities such as Northeastern and Carnegie Mellon emphasize co‑ops,...
AI and data in higher ed: bad data, inflated expectations and strategic choices
Institutions deploying AI are confronting a dirty secret: weak data governance undermines model performance and adoption. Higher‑education IT leaders and consultants warn that rolling out AI tools...
Outlooks for 2026: five higher‑ed forecasts leaders should expect
Experts offered five predictions for higher education in 2026 that include deeper state and federal investment in short‑term credentials, expanded employer‑institution partnerships, and continued...
Northwestern deal restores $800M — university accepts federal conditions on international students
Northwestern University struck a deal with the Trump administration to restore nearly $800 million in frozen federal research funding after agreeing to a set of unprecedented conditions. The...
University finds professor's 'threatening' post was satire — campus labels action 'disruption'
A university concluded that a professor’s online post, framed by critics as threatening toward Zionists, amounted to 'disruption' rather than punishable misconduct, renewing debate over academic...
Darden names interim dean who won't seek the permanent post — UVA launches external search
The University of Virginia appointed Michael Lenox as interim dean of the Darden School of Business; Lenox explicitly told administrators he does not want the permanent role. UVA named Lenox to...
Campus restructurings and employer ties — closures rise as colleges double down on career pipelines
The sector closed at least 15 college campuses in 2025 and recorded a wave of mergers and acquisitions as smaller, tuition‑dependent institutions struggled, according to a year‑end roundup. Public...
NIH agrees to revisit hundreds of shelved grants after court pressure
The National Institutes of Health told a federal court it will reexamine hundreds of grant applications that had been shelved or denied, reversing part of a wider funding stance under the prior...
Virginia moves to end in‑state tuition for undocumented students — legal fight looms
Virginia's outgoing Republican officials petitioned a federal court to block the Virginia Dream Act, asking the judiciary to scrap in‑state tuition for undocumented students and aligning with the...
Federal overhaul of loans and aid lands in 2026 — borrowers face tighter choices
A sweeping package of financial‑aid reforms in the One Big Beautiful Bill will take effect in July 2026, curbing access to certain federal student loans, reshaping repayment rules, and channeling...