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Most clicked story of the week:
A federal judge struck down the National Science Foundation’s attempt to limit reimbursement for colleges’ indirect research costs to 15%, ruling that the policy overstepped the agency's authority and was "arbitrary and capricious."
The four federal agencies that have attempted to cap indirect research funding, including NSF, have now all had their efforts blocked or struck down in court.
Number of the week: 56.3%
The average tuition discount rate for first-time, full-time undergraduates attending private nonprofit colleges in 2024-25, according to preliminary findings from the National Association of College and University Business Officers. Tuition discounting has risen steadily over the past decade, often at significant cost for many colleges.
Accreditation shakeup looms:
- The House education committee on Thursday advanced two bills addressing two conservative goals for the accreditation system. One would prohibit accreditors from setting diversity, equity and inclusion requirements for colleges, while another would make it easier for new accreditors to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Six public higher education systems in states with conservative leaders intend to create a new accrediting agency. The Commission for Public Higher Education is meant to avoid what Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, described as the pitfalls of the traditional accreditation system. “Too much time and effort is spent checking the compliance box and managing the minutiae of bureaucracy, with very little focus on real, actual academic excellence," he said.
Incoming cuts and layoffs:
- Columbia College Chicago recently laid off 20 full-time faculty, a majority of whom were tenured and taught in general education areas. In the announcement, a senior official at the private nonprofit cited a shift to “invest in areas that correspond to strong student demand and growth potential."
- Temple University, in Philadelphia, expects to eliminate jobs ahead of an anticipated $60 million structural deficit for fiscal 2026, the public institution's president said last week. Temple previously narrowed a projected $85 million budget gap to $19 million in fiscal 2025.
- Further north, the University of Connecticut is also forecasting layoffs and other austerity measures as it and its health system face a fiscal 2026 deficit of $134 million. The university expects to lose over $200 million in state appropriations and federal research funding.
