Policy & Legal
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Arizona bill to cut off state funding over college DEI courses gains traction
If signed into law, faculty at the state's public colleges would not be able to teach about subjects like antiracism and unconscious bias.
By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 28, 2025 -
A surge of DEI cuts hits colleges across the US
Some colleges, like Ohio State University, are reversing their stances on diversity efforts as federal and state policymakers ratchet up the pressure.
By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 27, 2025 -
Explore the Trendline➔
MF3d via Getty ImagesTrendlineArtificial 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 -
‘Inaccurate and misleading’: Democrat AGs push back against Trump’s DEI executive order
Sixteen AGs issued guidance for private employers regarding a recent executive order targeting diversity efforts at colleges and other organizations.
By Caroline Colvin • Feb. 27, 2025 -
Liberty University must face former trans worker’s discrimination claim, judge rules
"Religious institutions cannot discriminate on the basis of sex, even if motivated by religion," the judge wrote.
By Emilie Shumway • Feb. 26, 2025 -
AFT sues Education Department over anti-DEI guidance
The union alleged that the agency's recent guidance barring colleges from considering race in any of their programs and policies is unconstitutional.
By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 26, 2025 -
DeSantis moves to create Florida’s own DOGE to target college spending
The governor also suggested the department would eliminate what he called “ideological” curriculum and programming.
By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 25, 2025 -
DOGE blocked from accessing Education Department’s sensitive student data until March 10
A judge said the Trump administration failed to explain why the Department of Government Efficiency needed “sweeping access” to the agency’s records.
By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 24, 2025 -
Trump’s anti-DEI orders for colleges and others paused in part
The ruling said plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their arguments that the directives undermined free speech and were unconstitutionally vague.
By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 24, 2025 -
NIH cuts remain on hold as judge extends temporary pause
Some colleges have already frozen hiring after the National Institutes of Health unveiled a policy to cap billions of dollars in funding for indirect research costs.
By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 21, 2025 -
Another reprieve for gainful employment, financial value transparency reporting deadline
The U.S. Department of Education is giving institutions until Sept. 30 to send in data and correct information they’ve already submitted.
By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 21, 2025 -
McMahon confirmation as education secretary advances to full Senate
Democrats opposing the nomination voiced concerns about calls for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education.
By Kara Arundel • Feb. 20, 2025 -
NLRB rescinds stack of Biden-era enforcement memos
The affected documents include a 2021 memo stating that certain NCAA college athletes should be considered employees.
By Ryan Golden • Feb. 20, 2025 -
Retrieved from Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.
Kentucky lawmakers seek to weaken tenure, restrict DEI
A pair of wide-ranging proposals revived versions of previous bills that failed to gain enough traction in the 2024 legislative session.
By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 20, 2025 -
The image by Beyond My Ken is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Colleges tighten budgets amid NIH funding uncertainty
From hiring freezes to spending cuts, research universities are trying to manage their finances amid a fluid and harrowing situation.
By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 20, 2025 -
Court declines to block DOGE from accessing Education Department data
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss, an Obama appointee, said the student group failed to show it faced “irreparable harm” without emergency relief.
By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 18, 2025 -
‘Another twisting of civil rights law’: Free speech group pans Education Department’s DEI guidance
The guidance threatens to pull federal funding from colleges that consider race in any of their programs and policies — not just admissions.
By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 18, 2025 -
Want to measure how much college graduates make? Timing matters.
Associate and bachelor’s degree holders have similar earnings right after graduation, but the differences widen over time, research finds.
By Lilah Burke • Feb. 18, 2025 -
12 Trump moves in 4 weeks: What college leaders need to know
The new administration has implemented several policies that have sparked outcry from university researchers and student advocates.
By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 18, 2025 -
3 takeaways from Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing
Trump's nominee to lead the Education Department faced questions about the agency’s future, Title IX enforcement and antisemitism on college campuses.
By Kara Arundel • Feb. 14, 2025 -
Ohio Senate passes bill to ban DEI and faculty strikes at public colleges
The legislation would also establish post-tenure reviews and require all instructors to share their contact information and syllabi publicly.
By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 13, 2025 -
$50K threshold for college foreign gift reporting passes House panel
The bill would lower the reporting floor from $250,000 and require a waiver for colleges to enter contracts with “countries of concern” like China and Russia.
By Natalie Schwartz • Feb. 13, 2025 -
The latest roundup of DEI cuts across the country
From liberal arts colleges to massive public flagships, institutions of all kinds are moving to comply with changing federal expectations.
By Laura Spitalniak • Feb. 12, 2025 -
Cancellation of Education Department research contracts sparks concerns
The department didn’t provide a list of canceled contracts but said NAEP, the College Scorecard and the College Navigator were not impacted.
By Kara Arundel • Feb. 11, 2025 -
DOGE temporarily blocked from accessing Education Department student aid data
In a lawsuit, the University of California Student Association alleged that the “scale of intrusion into individuals’ privacy is enormous and unprecedented.”
By Natalie Schwartz • Updated Feb. 24, 2025 -
‘Self-inflicted wound’: Widespread alarm as Trump administration slashes NIH funding
A federal judge issued orders blocking the National Institutes of Health from enforcing its new 15% cap on indirect research costs.
By Ben Unglesbee • Updated Feb. 11, 2025