Policy & Legal: Page 14


  • Johnson & Wales University debuts 3-year bachelor’s programs

    Officials at the private Rhode Island institution cast the programs, which will be available in fall 2025, as a way for students to save both time and money. 

    By Oct. 25, 2024
  • A building on Vanderbilt University's campus in Nashville.
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    Vanderbilt University gets approval for $520M Florida graduate campus

    The Tennessee university's expansion into West Palm Beach would bring billions in resources to the area, it said.

    By Oct. 23, 2024
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    The image by Joshua Qualls / Governor's Press Office is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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    Massachusetts colleges should revamp admissions, advisory panel recommends

    Gov. Maura Healey formed the council ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overthrow of race-conscious admissions and praised its guidance Wednesday.

    By Oct. 21, 2024
  • Walden University’s $28.5M class-action settlement with students gets court approval

    Plaintiffs alleged the for-profit college drew out the capstone phase of a doctorate program that targeted women and Black students in its recruitment.

    By Oct. 18, 2024
  • This is the silhouette of two college graduates in cap and gown climbing up a set of steps. This shot is backlit with bright morning sunshine in the background.
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    How have statewide race-conscious admissions bans impacted college and labor outcomes?

    A new working paper examines what happened in four states that barred these practices within their borders over two decades ago. 

    By Danielle McLean • Oct. 15, 2024
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    State politics are swaying college choice, survey finds

    Students from both sides of the aisle are increasingly citing sociopolitical motivations when ruling out states from their college search.

    By Oct. 15, 2024
  • A photo illustration of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump shoulder to shoulder facing away from each other. The background is a purple wave with a grid gradient.
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    Photo illustration: Industry Dive; Joe Readle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images

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    Tracker

    Where the 2024 presidential candidates stand on higher education issues

    Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have pitched policy plans that could affect everything from accreditation to student loans.

    By , , Oct. 14, 2024
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    AAUP: DEI statements can be valuable to faculty recruiting

    The increasing attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts often conflate "institutional values with imposed orthodoxies,” the group said.

    By Oct. 11, 2024
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    States enact 5 laws directly censoring college classroom speech in 2024

    A Pen America report describes new legislation as “some of the most pernicious assaults on educational speech” ever encountered. 

    By Oct. 10, 2024
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    Brown University rejects proposal to divest

    The decision deals a major blow to the student-run Brown Divest Coalition, which had organized a pro-Palestinian encampment in the spring. 

    By Oct. 9, 2024
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    Greggory DiSalvo via Getty Images
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    Federal judge dismisses Florida lawsuit challenging accreditation system

    The ruling rejected the state’s arguments that congressional lawmakers had ceded “unchecked power” to private agencies over educational standards. 

    By Oct. 8, 2024
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    Utah launches statewide guaranteed admissions initiative

    All 16 of the state's public colleges and universities are participating in the program, the Utah System of Higher Education said Friday.

    By Oct. 8, 2024
  • A profile photo shows U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
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    Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
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    Missouri judge blocks Biden from carrying out new plan for student debt relief

    The ruling deals yet another blow to the U.S. Department of Education’s loan forgiveness efforts. 

    By Oct. 4, 2024
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    Apprenticeship group urges employers, community colleges to team up

    A report calls on stakeholders to let go of assumptions that apprenticeships are only for the trades.

    By Kate Tornone • Oct. 2, 2024
  • Scathing GAO reports blame Education Department leaders for FAFSA mess

    A monthslong investigation found the department failed to properly oversee vendors and communicate with colleges and students.

    By Sept. 24, 2024
  • An aerial view of Arizona State University
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    dszc via Getty Images
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    Arizona State to add tuition surcharge, close 1 campus after state funding cuts

    With a $24 million reduction in public funds, the Arizona university warned of impacts to students.

    By Sept. 24, 2024
  • A college student waits to enter a college financial aid office.
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    Could a new Pell program eliminate racial disparities in student debt?

    A wealth-based supplemental financial aid program would even the playing field for Black and Latine students, a new analysis shows.

    By Sept. 24, 2024
  • Two protesters hold a sign reading “UC Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine” on the steps of a campus building.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    University of California faces unfair labor charge alleging free speech supression

    Several faculty groups accuse the system of chilling academic instruction and retaliating against those who participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

    By Sept. 20, 2024
  • Virginia Foxx speaks at a podium.
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    House lawmakers pass Republican bill over campus free speech and accreditation policies

    A group of higher education associations said the bill would impose costly mandates on colleges that would undermine the legislation’s own goals. 

    By Sept. 20, 2024
  • A shot from the side of UMGC's administration building
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    The image by TC Fenstermaker is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    UMGC sued over Coursera payments

    National Student Legal Defense Network took aim at “enrollment-based” compensation the university gives the company — and the guidance allowing for it.

    By Sept. 20, 2024
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    sshepard via Getty Images
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    A look at DEI eliminations at colleges across the US

    We're rounding up some of the most recent rollbacks to diversity, equity and inclusion amid a Republican-led crackdown against such efforts.

    By Updated Dec. 16, 2024
  • A bird's eye view of an academic convention, focusing on an orange display booth with signage reading "Elsevier."
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    The image by ActuaLitté is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    6 major academic publishers face antitrust lawsuit

    The defendants, including Elsevier and Wiley, have done “tremendous damage to science and the public interest,” the complaint alleged.

    By Sept. 17, 2024
  • Miguel Cardona talks into a microphone at a podium.
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    Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
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    Gainful employment and financial value transparency reporting deadline delayed to Jan. 15

    The second extension of the due date comes after lawmakers argued that colleges haven't had enough time to comply amid financial aid tumult.

    By Sept. 13, 2024
  • Two students walk on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill.
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    UNC System colleges eliminate 59 DEI-related positions

    All 17 of the network’s colleges had until the beginning of this month to comply with the system ban on diversity, equity and inclusion jobs and offices.

    By Sept. 12, 2024
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    20 senators ask Cardona to delay gainful employment, financial value transparency deadline

    The bipartisan group of lawmakers asked the U.S. Department of Education to push the reporting due date from next month to July 2025.

    By Sept. 11, 2024