UNC board approves contested academic freedom definition

Amid faculty protests, the public North Carolina system's governing board unanimously passed the policy change during its Thursday meeting.

By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 26, 2026

California history professor wins injunction against DEI regulations

Officials are barred from enforcing the diversity, equity and inclusion rules against Daymon Johnson over his classroom instruction.

By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 26, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Artificial 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, coursework and elsewhere.

By Higher Ed Dive staff

The Education Department’s 9 interagency agreements: What is going where

In moves to downsize, the department is sending some higher education and K-12 programming to other agencies. 

By Kara Arundel • Feb. 25, 2026

Louisiana governor urges Education Department to expand college DEI probe

Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, asked the federal agency to investigate each of the state’s colleges to root out any diversity, equity or inclusion efforts.

By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 25, 2026

DOJ sues University of California over antisemitism allegations in latest salvo

A University of California, Los Angeles spokesperson said the institution has taken numerous steps to combat antisemitism and "we will vigorously defend our efforts."

By Ben Unglesbee • Updated Feb. 25, 2026

Congress green-lights education interagency agreements — with reservations

The U.S. Department of Education has nine such agreements with other agencies, including the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services.

By Kara Arundel • Feb. 24, 2026

Lawmakers release $8.8M of Utah State University’s funding after audit

Legislators had withheld the money for months while waiting for the audit, which ultimately found spending and governance problems.

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 23, 2026

Blueprint for state bills aims to tighten control over gen eds

New model legislation from conservative think tank Manhattan Institute would also weaken shared governance by limiting faculty bodies to advisory roles. 

By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 23, 2026

Week in review: UT System limits ‘controversial’ instruction

We’re rounding up recent stories, from a regional public university facing a $45 million deficit to other colleges facing budget or program cuts. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 23, 2026

Trump administration drops appeal over its $1.2B demand from UC system

The federal government agreed to no longer challenge an injunction that blocked its mass grant cancellations and hefty payment demand. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 20, 2026

University of Texas System adopts new teaching limits despite faculty concerns

The system’s governing board approved a policy that requires instructors to limit and balance their teaching about controversial subjects.

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 19, 2026

Education Department to nix race-based criteria for McNair program

Conservative groups and two students voluntarily ended their legal challenge against the program given the agency’s plans. 

By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 19, 2026

University of Texas System considers restrictions on ‘controversial’ teaching

A major faculty group in the state described the proposal as a “sweeping, vague policy” and urged the governing board to reject it. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 18, 2026

Florida university system board chair questions medical school accreditor

In a new front in the state’s fight with traditional accreditors, Alan Levine asked why the group hadn’t spoken out against gender-affirming care for minors.

By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 18, 2026

International enrollment is under pressure. How can colleges respond?

Amid tighter visa policies, experts suggest colleges expand recruitment efforts and provide foreign students with more flexibility to help them feel welcome. 

By Danielle McLean • Feb. 17, 2026

Iowa lawmakers mull anti-DEI bills for private and public colleges

State legislators are considering a flurry of proposals this year that would more tightly regulate the higher education sector, including classroom instruction. 

By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 13, 2026

‘We’re now seeing the results’: Education Department officials tout FAFSA progress

Satisfaction is up and wait times are short, an agency official told the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ legislative conference.

By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 11, 2026

Accreditor takes North Idaho College off probation

The institution experienced years of leadership and governance turmoil. Now its enrollment is rising and operations are stabilizing, the college says.

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 11, 2026

Trump secures legal victory on anti-DEI directives

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals let two executive orders stand that target diversity, equity inclusion in the higher education sector and elsewhere.

By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 10, 2026

Defense Department cuts academic ties with Harvard

The Pentagon no longer plans to sponsor studies of military service members at the Ivy League institution as the Trump administration presses its feud with the university.

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 9, 2026

Federal judge dismisses antitrust allegations against top publishers

Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, Wiley, Sage Publications, Taylor & Francis, and Springer Nature scored a win for their peer review and submission policies.

By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 6, 2026

Lawsuit alleges Cornell ‘brazenly’ refused to consider White candidates for faculty job

Diversity, equity and inclusion administrators created an interview list consisting entirely of “minority” candidates, the complaint said.

By Kate Tornone • Feb. 6, 2026

Michigan free college program boosted adult enrollment, study finds

Community college campuses saw an average increase of 623 students due to the program, which seeks to help eligible adults get an associate degree.

By Jamaal Abdul-Alim • Feb. 4, 2026

Education Department doubles down on anti-DEI efforts

The agency said it would continue to target DEI programs “with or without” a policy letter that set its interpretation of Title VI but was blocked in court. 

By Naaz Modan • Feb. 4, 2026

Trump signs $79B education funding bill into law

The fiscal 2026 budget measure will fund the agency through Sept. 30, giving it about $217 million above the prior year’s funding level.

By Kara Arundel • Feb. 3, 2026