EduPulse Team reports on the latest developments in U.S. higher education, providing timely news, data-driven insights, and analysis across colleges and universities nationwide.
AI in higher education
Boston, Mass. – A new wave of state-level action is reshaping how public colleges can use artificial intelligence–based exam proctoring, after lawmakers in several states advanced bills over the past three days that would restrict or ban certain automated monitoring tools on privacy and civil rights grounds. The proposals,
Campus free speech
Harvard University President Alan M. Garber has thrust campus culture and classroom norms back into the spotlight after arguing that higher education “went wrong” when it normalized faculty activism in the classroom, a shift he suggested has chilled debate and made some students less willing to challenge prevailing views. The
Federal student aid
Sweeping changes to the federal student aid system will take effect July 1, 2026, fundamentally reshaping how students finance college and graduate education in the United States. The reforms, enacted as part of a broad federal budget and tax package approved by Congress in 2025, represent one of the most
International students
The U.S. State Department has revoked more than 95,000 visas in 2025, including over 8,000 held by international students, marking a sharp escalation in visa enforcement and introducing new uncertainty for U.S. colleges and universities already under pressure from declining international enrollment. The increase comes as
Federal education officials have launched a formal review of Brown University’s campus safety policies and emergency response practices following the December 13 mass shooting that killed two students and injured nine others. The U.S. Department of Education is examining whether Brown complied with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety
Higher ed trends
A growing share of U.S. families are rethinking whether a traditional four-year college degree remains the best option after high school, as concerns about cost, debt, and job outcomes drive renewed interest in trade and technical education. According to a recent national survey from American Student Assistance, 35%
diversity & inclusion
San Marcos, TX – Texas State University is facing criticism from civil rights organizations after initially canceling a planned visit by the Black History 101 Mobile Museum and later indicating that the decision may be reconsidered. The museum, a traveling exhibition featuring historical artifacts and educational displays documenting African American history,
University acquisitions
The Maestro educational group has expanded its presence in higher education with the integration of Bottega University, which now operates as Maestro University. A notice on Bottega University’s website states that “Bottega University is transitioning to Maestro University”, indicating that the institution has been moved under the Maestro name
College athletics
The Big 12 Conference is nearing a $500 million private capital partnership that would mark one of the most significant financial restructurings in the history of U.S. college athletics. According to reporting by the Financial Times, the conference is in advanced talks with RedBird Capital Partners and Weatherford Capital
Providence, RI – A shooting at Brown University during the final exam period left two students dead and nine others injured, according to BBC News. While the incident itself shocked the Ivy League campus and the broader higher education community, it has also prompted renewed scrutiny of how colleges prepare for,
higher ed funding
Merced, CA – The University of California, Merced has received a landmark $38 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, marking the largest single philanthropic gift in the university’s history. Scott, an acclaimed author and philanthropist, is widely known for her major philanthropic initiatives through Yield Giving as well as for
civil rights
Cambridge, MA - A new federal civil rights complaint has been filed against Harvard University, alleging that the institution unlawfully supported a race-restricted scholarship program in violation of federal nondiscrimination laws. The filing adds new pressure to universities as legal challenges increasingly target diversity-focused programs beyond admissions. What the