Since President Donald Trump began his second term just four weeks ago, his administration has pursued several policies that have already shaken the higher education sector. 

On Feb. 7, the National Institutes of Health rolled out a new policy that would cap funding for indirect research costs at 15% for both current and new grants. The move promptly drew at least three lawsuits amid widespread alarm that the cuts would hamper important medical research. 

A judge paused the change only a few days later. And that’s not the only roadblock the Trump administration is facing. 

The U.S. Department of Education last week agreed to temporarily block staffers of the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive financial aid data — after a student group sued the agency over DOGE’s access to its systems. 

Meanwhile, Trump in his first days on the job issued a flurry of executive orders affecting colleges, from directives targeting their diversity, equity and inclusion programs to a mandate threatening to pull institutions’ federal aid if they allow transgender women to play on sports teams aligning with their gender identity. 

Below, we’re rounding up the Trump administration’s biggest moves to date for higher education leaders to keep an eye on.