Nearly all senior higher‑education leaders report that federal policymaking is creating acute uncertainty for institutional planning, according to a recent pulse survey by the American Council on Education. Campus leaders cited threats to institutional autonomy, changing research‑funding rules, immigration and visa shifts, and regulatory interventions as immediate operational risks. That unease comes as the administration pursues a string of higher‑education initiatives, including a reworked compact and other pressure campaigns directed at campuses. Colleges say the cumulative effect is reshaping recruiting, research partnerships, international student enrollment, and long‑term capital planning—forcing boards and executives to budget for policy risk as a core strategic variable.