Deep Dive
Industry insights from our journalists
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Risk-sharing: A ‘well-intentioned’ disaster for colleges?
Experts say a push to make institutions responsible for unpaid student loans could hit hardest on those serving historically underrepresented students.
Ben Unglesbee • May 6, 2025 -
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How colleges can support transgender students amid the Trump administration
Campuses shouldn’t be racing to comply with “harmful and discriminatory policies” before they are legally required to do so, one attorney said.
Danielle McLean • April 28, 2025 -
skynesher via Getty Images
‘You can’t create 18-year-olds’: What can colleges do amid demographic upheaval?
Raising retention and attendance rates, and accommodating diverse student bodies, could take on new importance as the traditional-age pipeline weakens.
Ben Unglesbee • March 27, 2025 -
Maddie Meyer via Getty Images
‘Undercutting your future’: What a higher endowment tax would mean for colleges
The sector is worried about more risk, fewer resources and a disincentivized donor base as Republicans eye a bigger levy on university investments.
Ben Unglesbee • March 26, 2025 -
smolaw11 via Getty Images
What will NCES layoffs mean for the Nation’s Report Card?
The U.S. Department of Education claims mandated tests like NAEP won’t be impacted, but laid-off employees beg to differ.
Naaz Modan • March 18, 2025 -
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
How 4 of Trump’s policy actions could impact higher education in 2025
The new administration has undertaken a flurry of executive actions during its first two weeks that could bring major changes to the sector.
Natalie Schwartz, Laura Spitalniak and Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 31, 2025 -
Al Drago via Getty Images
5 higher education lawsuits to watch in 2025
From Biden-era policies under fire to an antitrust suit against academic publishers, 2025 could see major legal waves.
Ben Unglesbee and Natalie Schwartz • Updated Jan. 29, 2025 -
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6 higher education trends to watch in 2025
College leaders will likely grapple with budgetary strains, federal policy shifts and continued enrollment challenges in the year ahead.
Natalie Schwartz, Laura Spitalniak and Ben Unglesbee • Updated Jan. 14, 2025 -
Permission granted by University of the District of Columbia
Inside University of the District of Columbia’s plan to transform
The historically Black college — Washington's only public university — wants to widen its appeal and raise its profile.
Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 17, 2024 -
The image by D.fletcher4 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Why more colleges are seeking Hispanic-serving institution status
The coveted designation unlocks federal grants and signals a commitment to underrepresented students, though institutions face challenges getting there.
Danielle McLean • Dec. 2, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
What preliminary enrollment data from fall 2024 tells us
Higher education experts broke down some trends in the early data and what may have prompted the decline in first-year students.
Laura Spitalniak • Updated Jan. 14, 2025 -
Permission granted by Hannah Corcoran, Representative for Graduate Hotels
Beyond school colors: How college-town hotel amenities draw guests
As guest preferences change and enrollment fluctuates, campus-adjacent hotels are getting creative to attract students, families and fans.
Brian Martucci • Oct. 30, 2024 -
Permission granted by Temple University
The fallout: The University of the Arts saga lives on — will its legacy?
Temple University and others have absorbed former UArts students. But can they replace the unique urban arts institution after its demise?
Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 9, 2024 -
Ben Unglesbee/Higher Ed Dive
The fallout: University of the Arts haunted by unanswered questions months after sudden closure
Students and employees were left in the lurch after the nearly 150-year-old institution shuttered with just a week's notice.
Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 8, 2024 -
Drew Angerer / Staff via Getty Images
What Kamala Harris’ presidential nomination could mean for HBCUs
The candidate’s status as a Howard University alum could spotlight the role historically Black colleges and universities play in preparing future leaders.
Danielle McLean • Sept. 6, 2024 -
Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
Then and now: Two eras of protests at Columbia University in photos
The Ivy League institution found itself at the center of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in 2024, echoing the anti-war protests there in 1968.
Laura Spitalniak and Shaun Lucas • Aug. 29, 2024 -
Courtesy of 2U
A look at 2U’s path to bankruptcy
The company bet big on online education during the pandemic by purchasing edX, but the gamble didn’t pay off as the health crisis eased.
Ben Unglesbee • July 26, 2024 -
SeanPavonePhoto via Getty Images
Sticker shock: A look at the complicated world of tuition pricing
Despite attention to lofty sticker costs, the practice of discounting has reached new highs, confusing students and straining revenue for institutions.
Ben Unglesbee • July 22, 2024 -
skynesher via Getty Images
How will the rise of AI in the workplace impact liberal arts education?
Experts predict that skills like critical thinking and creativity will be more coveted as artificial intelligence replaces some technical jobs.
Danielle McLean • July 8, 2024 -
Permission granted by Wells College
‘We can’t cut anymore’: Can colleges recover from the gut-punch of inflation?
Cost growth in higher ed is easing after big spikes in recent years. But institutions remain under steep financial pressure.
Ben Unglesbee • July 1, 2024 -
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‘Like climbing up Mount Everest’: Financial aid professionals describe a grueling FAFSA season
Staff faced long hours and pressure due to frequent delays and technical glitches, leaving them frustrated and exhausted.
Danielle McLean • June 27, 2024 -
Permission granted by Goddard College
Inside the final, chaotic days of Goddard College
Founded as a radical experiment in education, the Vermont institution closed after years of mounting tensions between administration and the rank and file.
Ben Unglesbee • June 7, 2024 -
Yana Paskova via Getty Images
What’s next for the test-optional movement?
Yale, Brown and Cornell universities have all revived their testing requirements, raising questions about whether other institutions will follow suit.
Danielle McLean • May 20, 2024 -
Courtesy of Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is investing $500M to become a sustainability leader. Will others follow?
The Ivy League institution is overhauling infrastructure to improve efficiency. But there are other ways to lighten a campus’s environmental impact.
Ben Unglesbee • May 16, 2024 -
Wirestock via Getty Images
Back from the brink, Hampshire College is nearing financial viability
In the past five years, the college recommitted to its mission, raised funds and revamped its curriculum. Experts say others can learn from its playbook.
Danielle McLean • March 20, 2024
