On November 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a sweeping set of interagency agreements (IAAs) transferring administration of dozens of higher education and student-support programs to the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), Interior (DOI), and State.
A new study examining four public colleges and universities reveals how governing boards can move beyond traditional oversight to actively advance student success, particularly for underrepresented populations.
WASHINGTON, DC (November 18, 2025)—At a time when access and completion in higher education are more urgent than ever, a new study by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) highlights how governing boards and leaders at four public institutions are working together to remove barriers to student success.
The former University of Virginia president who resigned abruptly in June accused the board of being dishonest about the circumstances of his exit and complicit in his ouster.
In a blistering letter to University of Virginia faculty, its former president alleged that Justice Department officials disliked him personally and wanted him removed — or else the department would “rain hell on UVA.”
WASHINGTON, DC (October 3, 2025)—Governing boards must act as fiduciaries for their institutions, not extensions of political parties or federal agencies.
As higher education increasingly becomes a target for threats and even violence, a small but high-profile set of campus leaders have been assigned personal security by their colleges.
On November 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) concluded its negotiated rulemaking session to implement student loan provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a sweeping legislative package enacted earlier this year. The Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee reached consensus on all 17 proposals advanced by ED, including new limits on federal borrowing for graduate students.
In early October, the Trump administration sent letters to nine universities urging them to pledge support for key administrative priorities in exchange for access to benefits like federal funding and visa approvals, outlined in a document called “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.”
As we watch unprecedented attacks on the autonomy and independence of American higher education, it’s tempting to think this is something new…
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