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UVA picks Darden dean Scott Beardsley — board acts amid political scrutiny
The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors unanimously selected Scott C. Beardsley as the university’s next president, concluding a contentious search that intersected with state politics and...
Trump administration appeals judge’s rebuke — Harvard funding fight moves to appeals court
The Justice Department filed an appeal of a federal judge’s ruling that blocked the Trump administration’s orders to freeze roughly $2.2 billion in Harvard research funding. U.S. District Judge...
Manhunt ends: Brown shooting suspect found dead — investigators link killings to MIT professor
Authorities announced that the suspect wanted in last weekend’s mass shooting at Brown University was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a New Hampshire storage facility, and...
Under Trump, accreditation oversight produces probes but no sweeping overhaul
The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) held its first sessions under the Trump administration amid partisan tension but stopped short of radical...
Consensus reached on Workforce Pell rules — negotiated package sets guardrails
Department of Education negotiators reached consensus during a negotiated rulemaking session on regulatory language to implement the new Workforce Pell Grant program, establishing how short-term...
AFT presses Education Dept. over massive IDR backlog — borrowers stalled
The American Federation of Teachers accused the Department of Education of failing borrowers after a status report showed a backlog of more than 800,000 applications for income-driven repayment...
Universities cut centers and challenge faculty — governance and politics collide
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced plans to close multiple area-studies centers in 2026 as part of a campuswide budget-reduction effort intended to save millions and...
AAUP raises alarm over Palantir’s role on Education Dept. portal — calls for transparency
The American Association of University Professors publicly challenged the Education Department’s reported use of Palantir as a subcontractor on a federal portal tracking foreign gifts to...
Rising operating costs and enrollment declines squeeze balance sheets — closures follow
Colleges are confronting accelerating operating costs as Commonfund’s Higher Education Price Index showed 3.6% sector inflation for 2025, outpacing prior decades’ expectations. Institutions face...
K–12–higher ed pipeline frays: career pathways expand as dual‑credit stalls on staffing
States and districts are expanding career‑connected pathways to link high school coursework with postsecondary credentials and employer internships — with Delaware and Indiana frequently cited as...
UVA names Darden dean Scott Beardsley – Board moves despite governor-elect objections
The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors unanimously selected Scott C. Beardsley, dean of the Darden School of Business, to be the university’s next president. The vote closes a months‑long,...
Trump administration appeals Harvard funding ruling – Government pushes fight to appeals court
The Justice Department filed an appeal after a federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s freeze of roughly $2.2 billion in Harvard research funding. U.S. District Judge Allison...
Manhunt ends after Brown shooting; suspect found dead – Investigation ties case to MIT slaying
Authorities announced the end of a multistate manhunt after Claudio Neves Valente, a 48‑year‑old former Brown student, was found dead of a self‑inflicted gunshot wound in a New Hampshire storage...
ED negotiators reach Workforce Pell agreement – Rulemaking set to expand Pell to short-term training
The U.S. Department of Education’s negotiated‑rulemaking committee reached consensus on regulations implementing the new Workforce Pell Grant program. The package outlines which short‑term...
Accreditation oversight panel flags issues but avoids rupture – NACIQI meeting yields incremental scrutiny
The first National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) meeting under the Trump administration surfaced partisan tension but stopped short of sweeping action. Panel...
Rising costs squeeze college budgets – Inflation and operating expenses add pressure on campuses
Colleges are confronting a cost shock as the Higher Education Price Index hit 3.6 percent in 2025, above prior expectations and outpacing recent decade averages. Institutions face volatile utility...
Colleges cut faculty and overhaul to survive – Christian Brothers, The New School among cases
Financial triage continued at several campuses as institutions cut faculty and restructure operations to address deficits and accreditation risks. Christian Brothers University announced plans to...
AAUP demands transparency after Palantir ties to Education Dept. portal – Faculty groups push back
The American Association of University Professors publicly pressed the Education Department for details after reporting identified Palantir’s involvement with foreignfundinghighered.gov, a portal...
Legal attacks and political oversight reshape academic freedom – Courts and states press institutions
Courts and state policymakers kept higher education under legal and political pressure in 2025. Federal rulings diverged—some upholding state limits on classroom content, others protecting...
AFT pushes back as Education Dept. backlog stalls loan relief processing – Borrowers wait
The American Federation of Teachers filed renewed court papers and public criticism after the Education Department reported a backlog exceeding 800,000 pending applications for income‑driven...