For-profit cosmetology college blames impending closure on 90/10 rule changes

Queen City College, in Tennessee, said that it would not be able to meet “impossible benchmarks” under the new regulation and plans to close in 2025.

Updated May 27, 2023

White House calls on colleges to act against antisemitism

A Thursday report from the Biden administration shared best practices for countering anti-Jewish hate on campuses.

House committees will investigate Education Department over Sweet v. Cardona settlement

Republicans raised concerns the agency was “improperly influenced by political considerations” in the case that canceled some $6 billion in student loan debt.

State funding for higher ed surpasses pre-Great Recession levels

But public colleges will now have to contend with the loss of COVID-19 relief funds and continuing declines in enrollment.

House Republicans again take Biden’s student loan policies to task

Conservatives during a subcommittee hearing also blasted administration officials for not being more responsive to requests for information.

Over half of adults say the financial benefits of attending college outweigh its costs

But their views depended heavily on factors like whether they completed their programs or had outstanding loans, a Federal Reserve survey found. 

Undergraduate losses slow — but enrollment is still well below pre-COVID levels

Younger enrollees helped boost community colleges’ student bodies in spring 2023, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

North Carolina bill would force accreditation changes for public colleges

The proposal, similar to legislation passed by Florida lawmakers, stems from a recent politicization of accrediting bodies.

US default could hamper colleges’ financial aid and research funding, ACE says

The effects on higher ed could be minimized if the government resolved a default quickly, according to the American Council on Education. 

Colleges face new responsibilities as states require abortion medication access on campus

New York and Massachusetts recently implemented mandates for their public institutions. At least one private college is also offering the pills. 

Bain warns of ‘perilous environment’ for colleges as COVID-19 relief dries up

Although the higher education sector gained financial stability during the pandemic, the effects are likely short-lived, analysts said

U.S. News changes undergraduate rankings methodology amid upheaval

The magazine is removing metrics like alumni giving ahead of the release of the 2024 undergraduate rankings.

National labor board hits USC, NCAA with complaint over athletes’ rights

The complaint, which also names the Pac-12 conference, seeks for an administrative law judge to classify college athletes as employees.

Is University of Idaho’s acquisition of University of Phoenix a good idea?

Higher education experts warn that the public institution’s leaders will have to contend with the for-profit’s checkered past and take on unknown liabilities.

About 75% of students want to attend college — but far fewer expect to actually go

A survey from nonprofit YouthTruth also revealed these gaps worsen for certain groups, like Indigenous and Pacific Islander students.

President Speaks: Despite shrinking numbers, women’s colleges are more important than ever

Elizabeth Meade, leader of Cedar Crest College, argues that institutions like hers are needed to provide inclusive environments and drive social mobility. 

Non-elite colleges should consider radical steps to improve their financial future, report says

EY and Times Higher Education suggested leaders consider merging with other institutions, cutting programs that lose money and investing in digital learning.

Law school students can take up to half of their credits online after ABA policy change

An American Bar Association survey last year showed law students favored distance learning classes over those in person.

Texas bill restricting transgender college athletes nears the governor’s desk

Legislation would block trans players from joining teams aligned with their gender identity. Pro-LGBTQ+ groups call the measure cruel.

Former professor sues University of California system over diversity statements in hiring

DEI statements are “loyalty oaths,” alleges a former University of Toronto faculty member who sought a UC campus job.

Education Department pledges ‘strongest-ever’ protections with long-awaited gainful employment draft

The agency also introduced regulatory proposals to collect and publish new data from all colleges, like potential earnings.

Public weighs in on Title IX athletics rule with more than 150K comments

The proposal has elicited concern from both ends of the political spectrum over both the inclusion and exclusion of transgender students.

How many colleges and universities have closed since 2016?

Medaille University is the latest institution to close. It announced it was shuttering after its plans to be acquired collapsed.

Updated April 27, 2023

University of Vermont faculty alleges deficient pay in state labor board complaint

Professors accuse administrators of not allowing enough time for them to adjust to a new learning management system.

Ohio Senate bill restricting DEI, tenure advances over widespread objections

The proposed legislation would rewrite many of higher education's norms. A companion bill is pending in the state House.