A United Educators analysis found U.S. colleges and universities reported hundreds of millions of dollars in legal settlements in 2025, spanning sexual‑abuse claims, campus shootings, antitrust litigation and pandemic‑era tuition disputes. The largest disclosed settlement involved Columbia University and an affiliated hospital at roughly $750 million connected to decades‑long abuse claims; other sizable payouts included Michigan State University ($29.7 million) and multiple multi‑million dollar antitrust and pandemic‑related settlements. The report highlights a widening range of institutional liability—cybersecurity breaches, discrimination claims and litigation tied to pandemic decisions all contributed. Many of the settlements involved historic misconduct or complex cross‑institutional facts, and insurers warned that legal exposure will continue to stress balance sheets and insurance premiums. For finance officers and risk managers, the findings underline the need to re‑examine reserves, insurance structures and preventative compliance strategies to limit future exposures.