Faculty labor and institutional budgets remain flashpoints: after a brief strike and intensive negotiations, the union at Harrisburg Area Community College reached a tentative contract covering pay, curriculum control and grievance processes; members will now vote on final approval. The agreement follows multiple bargaining sessions and a short strike that pressured administration back to the table. At the same time, several institutions are implementing program eliminations, layoffs and financial restructuring to address enrollment and revenue shortfalls. A higher‑education week‑in‑review summarized budget actions at campuses such as the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Rider University, where program cuts and restructuring remain on the agenda. Together these stories show simultaneous labor leverage and financial strain: unions are winning concessions where collective action occurs, but overall sector fiscal pressures are forcing difficult tradeoffs across academic portfolios. College leaders will need to balance sustainable compensation frameworks with enrollment‑aligned program portfolios, and communicate transparently with faculty and students to maintain continuity and protect completion pathways.