higher-education38.38 min read
Penn State frat cocaine case: ringleader arraigned, bail denied
7 days ago•Source: The Washington Post
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29.61 min•14 days ago
UMich to Mask Freshman Grades to Ease Stress
The University of Michigan announced it will mask first-semester grades for students in its liberal arts college starting Fall 2027 to ease stress for freshmen, a tactic already used by some other colleges.
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Brown University President Paxson to depart in 2027, launching a new strategic chapter
The Boston Globe•22 days ago
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It’s not AI—America’s looming labor shortage is the real story
The Washington Post•1 month ago
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U.S. faces historic labor drought as births drop and retirees surge
As colleges fret over AI-driven job shifts, economists warn the United States is headed for the largest worker shortage in history, driven by an aging workforce, a collapsing birthrate, and slower immigration, with millions more leaving the labor force than entering through the early 2030s. Shortages span health care, education, engineering, manufacturing and other sectors—many of which AI cannot fill—potentially pushing wages higher as policymakers scramble to respond.
Mass. Judge Blocks Trump-Era PSLF Eligibility Rules for Public Servants
A federal judge in Massachusetts (U.S. District Judge Myong J. Joun) struck down the Trump administration’s revised Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility rules, ruling they unlawfully allowed disqualification of employers for DEI or other policy positions not enacted into law, and the decision came just before the PSLF rule was to take effect.
UT Knoxville pays $1.9M in free-speech dispute after firing professor over Charlie Kirk post
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville settled for $1.9 million with Tamar Shirinian, a former anthropology professor fired after criticizing Charlie Kirk on social media; Shirinian sued, claiming her dismissal violated First Amendment rights, and the case underscores ongoing campus free-speech battles without reinstating her position.
Autopay boosts student-loan discounts to 1%, expanding borrower savings
The Education Department announced that borrowers who enroll in autopay will receive a 1-percentage-point discount on their loan’s interest rate, up from the usual 0.25 points, with the discount taking effect July 1 and running through June 30, 2028. The policy could save borrowers hundreds to thousands over the life of their loans and is estimated to cost about $6 billion. The package also introduces new repayment options, including an income-driven plan, as part a broader set of student-loan affordability changes.
UT Austin ousts KUT chief after festival safety clash
UT Austin fired KUT General Manager Debbie Hiott after she publicly challenged the university’s safety assertions about the station’s inaugural KUT Festival, a clash that led to the festival being scaled back and moved off campus. Hiott says she was terminated rather than quitting; university counsel accused her of making false statements about festival safety, and UT‑Austin later named Gerald Johnson as interim general manager as the dispute drew broader questions about campus safety standards for major events.
Virginia Tech Board Advances Athletics Strategy, Residence Halls, and Governance Changes
Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors approved forming Hokie Ventures to bolster athletics revenue and donor relations, authorized four new residence halls and related renovations to support campus housing renewals, discussed opportunities in national security research funding, and approved a flat $2.5 billion budget for 2026-27 with graduate assistant pay and benefits increases. The meeting also included the withdrawal of a Living-Learning Program affordability proposal, the closure of the Department of Religion and Culture with teach-outs, governance restructuring, and announced faculty appointments; next meeting is Aug. 24–26 in Blacksburg.
Harvard professors vote to cap A grades to curb grade inflation
Harvard faculty voted to cap A grades at about 20 percent per class to combat grade inflation, signaling a stricter grading regime intended to restore trust in higher education; the policy is slated to take effect in fall 2027.
DOJ flags Yale Medical School for race-based admissions bias
The Justice Department concluded Yale School of Medicine discriminated in admissions based on race, favoring Black and Hispanic applicants over White and Asian ones, in violation of federal civil rights law. The finding comes after a 2023 Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admissions and mirrors similar findings the DOJ issued to UCLA earlier this month. Yale did not immediately comment.
Federal probe targets Smith College's transgender admissions policy
The U.S. Education Department has opened a Title IX investigation into Smith College over its policy of admitting transgender women, arguing that the law’s single-sex admissions exception applies to biological sex rather than gender identity and that trans students’ access to women‑only spaces is under review. The inquiry follows a 2025 complaint by Defending Education, and Smith College began admitting trans women in 2015, stating its policy reflects its founding mission while evolving with the changing world. Responses from peer women’s colleges were not immediately provided.
Degree hacking: online programs let adults finish degrees in weeks
Touted as a flexible path for working adults, accelerated online degrees let students earn bachelor’s in months rather than years and some master’s in weeks, with examples like a North Carolina HR executive finishing a bachelor’s in four weeks after two months of self-study and a master’s in five weeks for about $4,000; educators worry this 'degree hacking' undermines credential value and integrity, while supporters say it lowers cost and time barriers.