6 higher education trends to watch for in the 2025-26 academic year
Aug 28, 2025 - Major sector news, including regulatory shifts, research funding cuts and challenges to in-state tuition for undocumented students.
2025 Policy and Budget Announcements
Financial Accountability in Research
Aug 25, 2025 - The Joint Associations Group (JAG) on Indirect Costs Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) A New Model for America’s Research Enterprise Presentation to Science Society CEOs
A commuter college thought it could avoid Trump’s education crackdown. Here’s what happened
Aug 23, 2025 - Administrators at the University of Colorado's campus in Colorado Springs believed they could avoid the Trump administration's focus on higher education.
Law Firm Pressures Brown University to Erase Research on Anti-Wind Groups
Aug 25, 2025 - The firm, which represents opponents of offshore wind, said it would complain to Brown’s federal and private funding sources.
‘Everyone is coming into fire’: students return to US campuses bruised and changed by Trump’s assault
Aug 23, 2025 - The effects of a rightwing campaign to remake American higher education are fueling fear and anxiety, but advocates say they have plans to fight back
Cornell University plans to restructure later this year amid federal funding declines
Aug 25, 2025 - The Ivy League institution's leaders said efforts to save costs and centralize operations will “inevitably” lead to workforce reductions.
George Mason University violated civil rights law, Education Department alleges
Aug 22, 2025 - The agency singled out the university’s president and called for him to publicly apologize "for promoting unlawful discriminatory practices."
‘Wrong and deeply disappointing’: Supreme Court halts order restoring NIH grants
Aug 22, 2025 - The high court's Thursday decision potentially made it much more difficult for researchers to have their grants reinstated.
More UChicago Ph.D. Programs Will Pause Admissions
Aug 21, 2025 - The Arts and Humanities dean said “nearly all” faculty leaders preferred “a broader pause for the division.” Some social sciences programs also aren't accepting new students.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette interim president announces 5% spending cut
Aug 20, 2025 - University leaders revealed plans to cut spending by 5% to address financial challenges.
Haverford College faces Education Department investigation into antisemitism
Aug 21, 2025 - The probe into the Pennsylvania liberal arts college is only the latest in a string from the Trump administration as it seeks to crack down on higher education.
UCLA consolidates IT, pauses faculty hiring as Trump administration seeks $1B payment
Aug 21, 2025 - The public institution is one of several facing cuts to federal research funding over allegations related to antisemitism.
In a warning from inside the NSF, staff say science itself is under threat
Aug 19, 2025 - "We fight for employees as we fight for the mission of our agency in the same way," Dr. Jesus Soriano said.
First Penn, then Columbia, now Brown: Comparing Trump admin. deals across the Ivy League
Aug 21, 2025 - Higher education experts weigh in on the key differences between the White House’s agreements with Brown, Columbia and Penn.
Supreme Court allows Trump's cuts to health research grants over DEI policies
Aug 21, 2025 - A federal judge had ruled that the more than $1 billion in cuts to research grants, like studies into HIV prevention, violated federal law.
NIH director orders new review of grants in outline of top research priorities
Aug 15, 2025 - Many topics on Bhattacharya’s list are familiar, but order to re-evaluate grants draws concerns
State Department has revoked over 6,000 student visas this year
Aug 19, 2025 - A spokesperson said 200 to 300 of the revocations were over support for terrorism, a common Trump administration claim against international students.
Inaccurate, impossible: Experts knock new Trump plan to collect college admissions data
Aug 18, 2025 - New data survey could produce statistics that indicate bias where none exists
Education Department’s anti-DEI guidance struck down in federal court
Aug 15, 2025 - A federal judge ruled that the agency didn’t follow the right steps to issue the Feb. 14 letter and that it violated free speech and due process rights.
Many U.S. Colleges May Close Without Immigrants And International Students
Aug 14, 2025 - Many U.S. colleges and universities may be forced to close without immigrants, international students and the children of immigrants
Ivy League universities are on a debt binge
Aug 13, 2025 - The borrowers, including Harvard, Princeton and Yale, benefit from a “prestige premium”
Federal judge orders Trump administration to restore hundreds of UCLA research grants
Aug 12, 2025 - The grants were terminated over alleged DEI violations. University of California attorneys argued the actions were arbitrary and capricious.
Utah System of Higher Education approves strategic reinvestment plans for 3 universities
Aug 12, 2025 - The Utah System of Higher Education's board on Tuesday approved updated strategic reinvestment plans from the University of Utah, Utah State University and Weber State University.
Gender Data Would Be Off-Limits Under Proposed NIH Policy
Aug 12, 2025 - A draft rule would bar scientists funded by the agency from collecting data about gender identity, following other steps the administration has taken to restrict research on LGBT topics.
Stanford says no to state student aid, yes to legacy and donor admissions
Aug 13, 2025 - The highly selective university will forgo California financial aid for students to circumvent a new law aimed at curbing the admissions practices.
UConn closes seven academic programs, plans to review 70 more
Aug 12, 2025 - The decision comes as UConn looks to save costs.
Florida’s universities face research overhaul courtesy of Trump and DeSantis
Aug 11, 2025 - Led by the governor, Florida's government accountability DOGE team is auditing university research projects and even recommending grants for termination.
DOJ sets sights on George Washington University
Aug 12, 2025 - The Justice Department accused the university of being “deliberately indifferent” to antisemitism on its Washington, D.C., campus.
University of Nebraska System offers buyouts to tenured faculty amid budget woes
Aug 12, 2025 - The offer comes after leaders of the four-campus network said they were looking to trim $20 million from its budget.
How researcher visa curbs threaten science careers
Aug 7, 2025 - Anti-immigration sentiment is fuelling a drive to slash international student and worker numbers, but at what cost to researchers and countries leading the charge?