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Accreditation and accountability: CHEA report and federal warnings hit accreditors
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation released its annual report as the Education Department escalated oversight of accreditors, issuing warnings to two agencies over lingering...
Boston University pulls pride flags: campus speech policy tests boundaries
Boston University removed pride flags from outward-facing faculty office windows this month, citing a long-standing policy barring signs visible to campus. President Melissa L. Gilliam framed the...
Education Dept. opens probes into Harvard – antisemitism and admissions under review
The U.S. Department of Education launched two new investigations into Harvard University this week: one into alleged harassment of Jewish students and another into continuing use of race in...
AIM committee nominations: proprietary, workforce and state negotiators named
Community letters surfaced this week nominating negotiators to the Department of Education’s Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Committee. Michael Zimmerman was put forward to...
Department of Education rule comments mount: RISE, H.R.1 implementation in focus
Stakeholder letters and comment filings are converging on two major Education Department initiatives: the RISE (Reimagining and Improving Student Education) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and the...
Universities pilot new assessment models as AI reshapes grading and academic integrity
Colleges are redesigning assessment to accommodate widespread AI use. The University of Sydney implemented an assignment menu that permits AI tools for much work outside class while preserving...
Faculty walkouts escalate: NYU and Portland campuses face major strikes
Two large faculty actions unfolded this week: roughly 950 full‑time non‑tenure‑track NYU professors walked out seeking pay and job protections, and Portland Community College’s classified and...
Program cuts and belt‑tightening spread: community college and humanities reductions
Fiscal stress is driving program and position cuts at multiple institutions. Lane Community College in Oregon proposed eliminating roughly 20 positions and suspending two programs to close a...
Accreditation oversight intensifies as CHEA report and ED warnings spotlight DEI standards
Accreditation and federal oversight returned to the top of higher‑ed agendas this week. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation published its 2024–2025 annual report reaffirming...
Enrollment signals shift: GMAC survey and graduate‑outcomes scrutiny
The 2026 GMAC prospective‑students survey reveals shifting priorities for graduate management applicants: prospective business‑school candidates now prioritize clear ROI and AI fluency over career...
Campus civic engagement under pressure: voter‑registration programs and in‑state policy disputes
Federal policy changes and state actions are constraining campus voter outreach and access. The Trump administration moved to limit a federal program that hires low‑income students to register...
Harvard under federal scrutiny: dual probes target antisemitism and admissions
The Department of Education and the Justice Department have opened concurrent inquiries into Harvard University this week. The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights launched an...
Universities reshuffle leadership — new presidents, rapid turnover on several campuses
A wave of presidential appointments and leadership transitions swept multiple campuses this week as universities named new chief executives and replaced departing leaders. Ohio State University...
College strikes spread: Portland Community College shuts campuses; NYU faculty walk out
Labor actions halted instruction at multiple institutions this week. Portland Community College closed its four campuses after classified staff and faculty unions began a large strike over pay and...
Canvas rolls out AI teaching agent — debate flares over AI’s classroom role
Canvas announced an AI teaching agent intended to automate routine instructional tasks while stopping short of full automated grading. The vendor says the agent will free faculty from low‑value...
Business‑school demand shifts — GMAC: candidates want AI fluency and measurable ROI
GMAC’s 2026 Prospective Students Survey shows a structural shift in graduate business education demand: prospective candidates are prioritizing skills upgrades, AI fluency and demonstrable return...
Campus climate tensions deepen — BU pulls pride flags; schools expand instruction on Jewish and Muslim histories
Boston University removed pride flags under a policy restricting posted signs, a move that faculty and free‑speech advocates say chills expression on campus. Professors warned that uniform...
Education Dept. reshapes oversight — accreditors warned, programs shifted via interagency pacts
The Department of Education has stepped up regulatory pressure on accreditation agencies and is reallocating some program responsibilities to other federal agencies via interagency agreements. Two...
Federal student‑aid shakeup — Treasury to take on loans as Pell faces a decade‑long shortfall
The Education Department announced a plan to shift responsibility for defaulted federal student loans to the Treasury Department, placing collection and repayment duties with an agency that has...
Program cuts and budget strain force course closures and staff reductions
Financial pressures forced institutions on both sides of the Atlantic to trim academic offerings and staff. The University of Leicester announced it will close its film studies and modern...