Policy & Legal: Page 2
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California governor signs Cal State direct admissions program into law
A pilot version of the program proactively offered thousands of students acceptance into the public university system.
By Ben Unglesbee • Updated Oct. 14, 2025 -
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MIT becomes first college to reject Trump’s higher education compact
University President Sally Kornbluth said Friday that some of the terms would restrict the institution’s free expression and independence.
By Natalie Schwartz • Updated Oct. 10, 2025 -
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TrendlineArtificial Intelligence
As AI continues its forward march in education and the workplace, colleges are grapplling with how best to incorporate the emerging technology into admissions, courrsework and elsewhere
By Higher Ed Dive staff -
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Virginia lawmakers threaten state funding consequences if UVA signs Trump compact
Three leaders of the state’s Democrat-controlled Senate urged the University of Virginia to immediately reject the agreement.
By Laura Spitalniak • Oct. 10, 2025 -
Carnegie Mellon lays off 75 employees at engineering institute amid federal funding shifts
The cuts amount to 10% of the Software Engineering Institute’s workforce, which has taken a financial hit from recent policy changes.
By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 10, 2025 -
Retrieved from U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions.
Richey confirmed to lead Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights
Kimberly Richey, who also served in President Donald Trump’s first term, steps into the role as the office faces a significant backlog and a halved workforce.
By Naaz Modan • Oct. 9, 2025 -
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Trump’s higher ed compact draws condemnation from faculty and college unions
At least two faculty senates have voted to oppose the proposed agreement sent to nine research universities, while other workers have publicly rebuked it.
By Laura Spitalniak • Oct. 8, 2025 -
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Pennsylvania lawmakers seek to bar state-funded colleges from signing Trump compact
Two Democratic state representatives said the agreement threatens institutions’ independence and cast their proposal as safeguarding academic freedom.
By Natalie Schwartz • Oct. 7, 2025 -
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Higher ed groups sue over Trump administration’s $100K H-1B visa fee
The surprise policy rolled out last month could cause “catastrophic setbacks” to research in the U.S., the lawsuit alleges.
By Natalie Schwartz • Oct. 6, 2025 -
DePaul University weighs budget measures amid cratering international enrollment
The private Chicago nonprofit is considering cutting executive pay and freezing staff hiring after new international graduate enrollment fell 62% from last year.
By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 6, 2025 -
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Newsom vows to pull state funding from California colleges that sign Trump’s compact
A proposed agreement sent to nine institutions would give them priority for federal research funding in exchange for sweeping policy changes.
By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 3, 2025 -
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Federal judge dismisses legal challenge to gainful employment rule
Although the Biden-era rule survived litigation, the Trump administration is considering making changes to the regulations.
By Natalie Schwartz • Oct. 3, 2025 -
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NIH temporarily restores UC grants under court order
But in court filings this week, the federal agency reported some difficulties identifying which of the researcher grants it canceled needed to be reinstated.
By Laura Spitalniak • Oct. 3, 2025 -
The image by Warren LeMay is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Washington University lays off over 300 employees
The private St. Louis institution has also cut nearly 200 unfilled positions as it grapples with federal cuts, rising expenses and a heightened endowment tax.
By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 2, 2025 -
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Harvard v. TrumpHHS moves to cut Harvard off from all federal grants and contracts
The agency's Office for Civil Rights on Monday recommended blocking the university's access to the funding to protect the public interest.
By Laura Spitalniak • Oct. 1, 2025 -
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Education Department can cut half of OCR staff for now, appeals court rules
The order comes as the agency was complying with a prior court order to return its laid-off Office for Civil Rights staffers back to work.
By Naaz Modan • Sept. 30, 2025 -
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California State University faces systemwide EEOC probe over antisemitism concerns
The federal agency has begun contacting faculty and staff members to “review allegations of antisemitism,” Chancellor Mildred García told the system.
By Natalie Schwartz • Sept. 30, 2025 -
The image by Johan Hendrikse is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Texas Tech orders colleges to align instruction with Trump administration’s gender views
The directive from Chancellor Tedd Mitchell immediately drew backlash from free speech advocates, with one attorney describing it as “obvious censorship.”
By Laura Spitalniak • Sept. 29, 2025 -
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University of South Dakota must reinstate professor on leave over Kirk comments, judge orders
U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier said the instructor had a “fair chance of prevailing” in his lawsuit alleging the institution violated his free speech rights.
By Laura Spitalniak • Sept. 26, 2025 -
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Education Department officially launches 2026-27 FAFSA form
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the rollout as the earliest in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid’s history.
By Natalie Schwartz • Sept. 26, 2025 -
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Southern Oregon University to cut 23 programs and lay off 18 employees
The public institution "is no longer a comprehensive university" and must pare down its academic offerings, according to a new board-approved plan.
By Laura Spitalniak • Sept. 25, 2025 -
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Federal judge orders NIH to restore grants to UCLA
The ruling also directs three federal agencies to reinstate grants cut en masse from University of California campuses under the Trump administration.
By Laura Spitalniak • Sept. 24, 2025 -
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NACAC 2025Digging into diversity in college admissions
Researchers pointed to disparities by race among prospective and admitted students during a Friday presentation at an annual admissions and counseling conference.
By Ben Unglesbee • Sept. 23, 2025 -
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Harvard v. TrumpEducation Department gives Harvard 20 days to turn over admissions data
The agency also put the university under increased federal oversight, arguing its finances are at risk due to the Trump administration’s own attacks.
By Laura Spitalniak • Sept. 22, 2025 -
Permission granted by Lackawanna College
Opinion // President SpeaksLessons from a college merger on higher education’s next chapter
Colleges that stay agile can withstand the shifting higher ed landscape and serve students better, according to Lackawanna College’s president.
By Jill Murray • Sept. 22, 2025 -
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Deep DiveWhat does the end of Grad PLUS loans mean for higher ed?
The end of the 20-year program could push more students to the private loan market and force colleges to end some of their graduate offerings.
By Ben Unglesbee • Sept. 22, 2025
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