University leaders are confronting an intensifying mix of regulatory scrutiny, governance burdens and reputational risk. At the American Association of Colleges and Universities meeting, Rutgers Chancellor Francine Conway warned that campus leadership is “relentless,” while state actors and federal regulators are pressing institutions on accreditation, legal exposure and staffing. The U.S. Department of Education has signaled a spring push to rewrite accreditation rules, a move that could reshape institutional oversight and federal aid eligibility. Accreditation here refers to federal recognition of quality-assurance agencies that determine institutions’ access to Title IV student aid. At the same time, newly released Department of Justice files on Jeffrey Epstein included repeated references to Duke professor Dan Ariely, prompting local reporting and renewed scrutiny of campus relationships with controversial outside figures. The disclosures do not allege criminal conduct by Ariely but underscore how archival releases can spur governance and reputational questions for university boards, external-relations teams and compliance offices. Together, regulatory reform and public-document disclosures are increasing pressure on presidents, trustees and general counsel to act quickly on compliance, communications and conflict-of-interest policies.