Policy & Legal
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Laura Spitalniak/Higher Ed Dive
Tennessee State operations get $96M boost from reallocated state funds
Tennessee's comptroller cited his confidence in the beleaguered university's current leadership team when signing the deal Tuesday.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 18, 2025 -
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Federal judge strikes down NIH directives against DEI research
The American Civil Liberties Union called the ruling "a major victory for public health.” Federal officials are exploring their legal options, including an appeal.
By Laura Spitalniak • June 17, 2025 -
Lya_Cattel via Getty Images
AAUP and AFT appeal after judge tosses lawsuit over canceled Columbia funds
The judge ruled that the unions lacked standing to sue and sided with the Trump administration’s case.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 17, 2025 -
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Senate panel’s proposal would hike endowment tax less than House bill
The chamber’s Finance Committee proposed an 8% top rate — much lower than the 21% rate passed by House lawmakers.
By Natalie Schwartz • June 17, 2025 -
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Why did the Energy Department issue a Title IX rule?
The proposed athletics rule would rescind a prior requirement on coed sports tryouts — but only for colleges receiving U.S. Department of Energy grants.
By Kara Arundel • June 16, 2025 -
RiverNorthPhotography via Getty Images
University of Nebraska looks to cut another $20M from its budget
Amid state and federal funding challenges, the public Midwestern institution has already cut tens of millions of dollars in spending in recent years.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 13, 2025 -
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Harvard spars with Trump administration over order protecting its international enrollment
The Ivy League institution argued that the federal government may seek to circumvent a pending preliminary injunction through “creative relabeling.”
By Laura Spitalniak • June 13, 2025 -
Chip Somodevilla / Staff via Getty Images
Tennessee and SFFA sue over funding for Hispanic-serving institutions
The U.S. Department of Education’s longtime HSI grant program undercuts equal opportunity and is discriminatory, the state and advocacy group argued.
By Laura Spitalniak • June 12, 2025 -
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Higher education overhaul: How GOP senators’ plan differs from House bill
The two versions agree on consolidating repayment plans and adding accountability for student outcomes, but vary in key ways.
By Natalie Schwartz • June 12, 2025 -
Bill Pugliano via Getty Images
Michigan representative introduces proposal to explicitly ban antisemitism
If passed, the legislation would formally ban educational institutions from discriminating on the basis of ethnicity, in addition to other protected classes.
By Caroline Colvin • June 12, 2025 -
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Northwestern freezes hiring and cuts budgets to combat ‘increasing strain’ on finances
The highly selective university faces funding threats from the Trump administration along with rising costs and proposed policy changes.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 11, 2025 -
Matthew Hatcher via Getty Images
Proposed Ohio budget would increase influence of university ‘intellectual diversity’ centers
If passed, the bill would create the Ohio Civics Board and give the centers' current directors oversight of the selection of their successors.
By Laura Spitalniak • June 10, 2025 -
The image by AlexiusHoratius is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
University of Minnesota eyes steep tuition hikes and budget cuts
The public institution aims to keep its budget balanced amid what its president described as “unprecedented challenges” in higher education.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 10, 2025 -
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Education Department rolls out heightened screening for financial aid applications
The measures come amid widespread reports of scammers using financial aid applications to steal both federal and state money.
By Natalie Schwartz • June 10, 2025 -
The image by Gunnar Klack is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
18 colleges seek to support Harvard’s lawsuit against the Trump administration
In a court filing Friday, the colleges argued that the elimination of Harvard's federal funding "negatively impacts the entire ecosystem."
By Laura Spitalniak • June 9, 2025 -
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Week in Review: Deep program cuts proposed at the Education Department
We’re rounding up last week’s news, from possible reductions to Pell Grants and other programs to the continued consolidation of colleges.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 9, 2025 -
Retrieved from U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions.
Top takeaways from OCR nominee’s Senate confirmation hearing
Kimberly Richey, the acting head of the Office for Civil Rights in the first Trump administration, addressed questions on higher caseloads, Title IX and more.
By Naaz Modan • June 7, 2025 -
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Trump administration appeals pause on Education Department cuts to SCOTUS
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court that the agency’s efforts to reduce its workforce must stop while a lawsuit against it is argued.
By Kara Arundel • Updated June 6, 2025 -
Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
No more in-state tuition for undocumented students in Texas
A federal judge Wednesday signed off on a joint plan from the state and the U.S. Department of Justice to revoke the 24-year-old practice.
By Laura Spitalniak • June 5, 2025 -
University of Idaho abandons plan to acquire University of Phoenix
Faced with opposition from the beginning, the state university and for-profit college ended negotiations.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 4, 2025 -
pabradyphoto via Getty Images
Working-age adults with some college but no credential reaches 37.6M, report finds
However, more stopped-out students returned to college in the 2023-24 academic year, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found.
By Laura Spitalniak • June 4, 2025 -
Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
‘Finally’: Keystone College completes merger with nonprofit
After a recent closure scare, the institution is continuing operations under the nonprofit Washington Institute for Education and Research.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 3, 2025 -
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
3 takeaways from McMahon’s testimony on Trump’s FY26 budget plan
The education secretary defended the proposed elimination of federal funding for TRIO and Gear Up despite bipartisan pushback from lawmakers.
By Natalie Schwartz • June 3, 2025 -
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Illinois lawmakers pass bill to establish direct admissions program
Participating public universities will set GPA standards each year for first-time and transfer students to gain automatic entry.
By Natalie Schwartz • June 3, 2025 -
Kayla Bartkowski via Getty Images
FY26 budget plan would slash maximum Pell Grant by nearly a quarter
The Education Department's proposal would also radically reduce funding for Federal Work-Study and require a bigger employer contribution.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 2, 2025
