College professors are reporting a drop in basic reading proficiency among incoming undergraduates, with some instructors saying a sizeable share of first-year students struggle to read assigned passages. Higher‑education faculty described adapting pedagogy—reading aloud, close reading in class, repeated passage analysis—to address gaps in comprehension and prevent downstream harms to critical thinking and persistence. The reporting ties falling reading habits and digital consumption patterns to academic preparation, and many departments are retooling curricula and support services to scaffold literacy skills. Administrators and faculty leaders say the trend could force broader curricular shifts and additional investment in remedial and co‑curricular supports.