Higher Ed
How institutions are run: policy, funding, enrollment, governance, labor, and the sector at large
Thursday, September 10
Voices from the Field: How ACTS Compliance Strained Student Supports at the University of Findlay
Kristen Lindsay is the Director of Institutional Research (IR) and Assessment, and the sole dedicated IR professional, at the University of Findlay (UF). In late 2025, when the Department of Education launched the Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) data collection, she was forced to pivot projects…
ihep.orgModelling Promotion Policies with Survival-Calibrated Agent-Based Simulation: The Promotion Wall and Efficiency-Equity Trade-offs in Engineering Programmes
In prerequisite-heavy engineering programmes, progression rules can redistribute academic risk across time and student groups in ways that are difficult to observe before a reform is implemented. This study uses an agent-based model (ABM) calibrated to longitudinal survival data to examine three progression…
jedm.educationaldatamining.org
Wednesday, September 9
Canaries in the Field: Admission Professionals, Racial Crisis, and Systemic Inequity in a Color-Evasive Organization
Guided by a racism-conscious theoretical framework for understanding organizational behavior, this study illustrates how systemic inequity is reproduced in elite-college admissions. Using critical-qualitative case study methods, including interviews with 18 admission personnel, I examine four mechanisms of…
doi.orgServingness 2.0: A Renewed Multidimensional Conceptual Framework for Understanding Servingness in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs)
The Multidimensional Conceptual Framework for Understanding Servingness in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) made a significant contribution to HSI practice and research. Despite recent federal attacks on HSIs and loss of funding, HSIs will continue to enroll a significant number of Latine students and grapple with…
doi.org‘Utter paralysis’: Legacy admissions ban faces tough road in Congress
Momentum for banning legacy admissions practices has seemingly tapered over the past two years, as legislation has stalled in state legislatures, the fate of bipartisan congressional bills is in doubt, and the Trump administration hasn’t indicated any interest in taking up the issue. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s…
highereddive.com
Tuesday, September 8
Adaptation or “Sanitization”? The Freedoms and Responsibilities of Open
This Open Exchange asks "What happens when openly licensed educational materials are adapted in ways that raise concerns about transparency, inclusion, academic freedom, or harm?" The conversation was prompted by recent changes to an OpenStax sociology textbook for use in Florida, described in the Inside Higher Ed…
cccoer.orgWhat a Faculty-Student Collaboration Learned Building an AI Tutor for College Math
In the summer of 2025, Dr. April Crenshaw stood in front of her MATH 1710 precalculus students at Chattanooga State Community College and shared the experience she had been having ... The post What a Faculty-Student Collaboration Learned Building an AI Tutor for College Math appeared first on Every Learner Everywhere®.
everylearnereverywhere.orgListening to the Community: The Origins of the Secure Research Environments Series
The Internet2 CLASS Secure Research Environments series was born from recurring questions in the research and higher education (R&E) community: Why is it so hard to build a secure environment for regulated research, and why does so much of the hard part have almost nothing to do with technology? For years, those…
internet2.edu
Saturday, September 5
Move Slow, Remake Things
In the prologue to their book Tinkering Toward Utopia, historians David Tyack and Larry Cuban highlight the tensions in how Americans think about schooling: we have, almost since the nation’s outset, believed in the transformative power of education; and yet, despite the importance we grant to education and
2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.comCan you order these milestones in higher education access?
The Morrill Act to need-blind admissions.
michaelbhorn.substack.com
Friday, September 4
Florida bans undocumented students from selective public universities
Dive Brief: The State University System of Florida’s board of governors on Thursday banned undocumented students from attending its universities with selective admissions — effectively shutting them out of the highly ranked public system. Beginning in the 2027-28 academic year, prospective students who are “present in…
highereddive.comHigh schoolers say school counselors emphasize college pathways, not CTE
Dive Brief: While 66% of high school students from middle-income families say educators heavily emphasized four-year college when talking about future pathways, far fewer reported similar attention to community college (11%), technical training and apprenticeships (16%) and full-time work (17%), according to a Rand…
highereddive.com
Thursday, September 3
Pruning to grow
Higher education has room to serve more people. Preserving that opportunity will require strategic choices about what each institution offers—and what they can offer collaboratively. A healthy tree does not grow by keeping every branch. In an environment of finite sunlight, water, and nutrients, unchecked growth can…
luminafoundation.org
Wednesday, September 2
Tuesday, September 1
Educause President and CEO John O'Brien Announces Retirement
John O'Brien, president and CEO of Educause, has announced his intention to retire in August 2027.
campustechnology.comFrom citation to documented use: Computers & Education research in selected policy reports
doi.orgFifty years of topic development, thematic combination, and AI's evolving reach in Computers & Education
Across the first fifty years of Computers & Education , successive technologies entered an expanding educational agenda centered on teaching, learning, learner regulation, assessment, participation, access, and institutional conditions. This study examined how that agenda developed from 1976 through partial 2026. We…
doi.orgThe Cost of Resilience: Navigating Disability-Related Financial Tradeoffs Amid Systemic Neglect in College
Abstract: Students with disabilities confront disproportionate financial barriers in higher education, yet research has rarely explored how these students actively navigate disability-related expenses in pursuit of their degrees. This mixed methods study investigated experiences of 334 disabled undergraduates at…
doi.orgCollege Students from Immigrant Families: Meaning Making about Identity and Intersectional Complexity
Abstract: College students from immigrant families (CSIF) make up a growing portion of undergraduate enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities. While emerging studies have made important progress in understanding the experiences, educational pathways, and navigational strategies of these students, CSIF are often…
doi.orgEmpowering Voices: The Role of a Writing Center in the Academic Success of International Doctoral Students
Abstract: This qualitative instrumental case study examines the role of a university Writing Center in supporting the academic success and socialization of international doctoral students at a public university in the Midwest. Guided by Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and Lave and Wenger’s communities of…
doi.orgThe Course Planning Process of Practitioner-Adjuncts in HESA Master’s Programs
Abstract: This study explores how practitioner-adjuncts, full-time student affairs practitioners who serve as adjunct instructors in higher education/student affairs (HESA) Master’s programs, engage in course planning and preparation. Based on interviews with 28 practitioner-adjuncts, findings describe a model of…
doi.orgExploring the relationship between teaching presence, self-regulation, and co-regulation in online courses
This study explores the relationship between teaching presence and students’ self- and co-regulation, in online learning courses. Data were collected from 283 students enrolled in online courses using the Teaching Presence Scale of the Community of Inquiry survey and a Shared Metacognition Questionnaire. Descriptive…
doi.orgTennessee’s free community college program ‘pays for itself,’ working paper finds
When then-Gov. Bill Haslam signed the Tennessee Promise into law in 2014, he touted the program as one that would “make a real difference for generations of Tennesseans” at zero net cost to the state. The program — the first in the U.S. to offer tuition-free community college statewide — covers any remaining tuition…
highereddive.com
Monday, August 31
Judge rules Trump policies deporting foreign students based on speech unconstitutional
Dive Brief: Policies used by the Trump administration to deport legal immigrants because of their speech are unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled Friday. The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of student visas and sought to deport noncitizen students in the U.S. legally by invoking two provisions of the…
highereddive.comFederal stimulus money bought new technology for Philly students, but many schools lost track of where items went
Better tracking systems can help ensure students have the equipment they need. FatCamera/E+ Collection via Getty Images Back-to-school season is underway, and school personnel have been busy cleaning, doing repairs and setting up classrooms for the 2026-27 academic year. This work includes making sure appropriate…
theconversation.comAIOps, Workforce Pipelines, and the Value of Unplanned Conversations: A Preview of Advanced Networking Topics at TechEX26
3 Questions for Frank Seesink, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Who better to shape the program for the global research and education (R&E) community’s leading technical event than the innovators and practitioners solving its biggest challenges every day? That’s why, ahead of the 2026 Internet2 Technology…
internet2.eduIntroduction: The Value of NCES Data for Higher Education Research—Nationally Representative Studies of Educational Pathways and Contexts
doi.org
Thursday, August 27
Why Americans should care when international students stop coming
For decades, America has enjoyed an extraordinary competitive advantage that we rarely talk about: many of the world’s most talented people have wanted to study here. We have gotten so accustomed to this advantage that we seem to assume it will always exist. It won’t, and the warning signs are beginning to flash.…
luminafoundation.org20 Michigan colleges join new direct admissions program
Dive Brief: Interested Michigan high school students can begin receiving direct admissions offers this fall from 20 public and private colleges in the state through an initiative launched by the nonprofit Michigan College Access Network. Under the new MI College Match initiative, students will automatically receive…
highereddive.com
Wednesday, August 26
International enrollment in American higher ed declined in 2025: new data
Just a quick post to note new enrollment data: specifically, there’s new research concerning international students attending American colleges and universities. It’s not good. The Department of State posted new numbers about student visas over the past academic year. Inside … Continue reading →
bryanalexander.org
Tuesday, August 25
Building better workforce credentials: lessons from 3 states
This year, I’ve traveled 18,000 miles visiting 12 states across the country to learn how education and business leaders are strengthening the connection between learning and work. As employers struggle to find skilled workers and learners seek faster, more affordable pathways to good jobs, policymakers are refining…
luminafoundation.orgCan a Letter From Washington Actually Change How Schools Buy Technology?
On this episode of This Week with EdSurge, unpacking new federal edtech guidance for schools.
edsurge.comHow to Turn AI Panic into Institutional Learning
Think about the last AI conversation you were part of on your campus. Was it about a dazzling new tool someone wanted to get up and running immediately? A policy that got bogged down? A student question that made you realize you don’t have the answer? We’re all having those conversations each day, sometimes every day……
onlinelearningconsortium.orgThe problem with defining teachers’ digital competency for deep learning: A rhetorical absurdity
This conceptual paper interrogates the mismatch between policy rhetoric and classroom practice concerning teachers’ digital competence for deep learning. The notion of rhetorical absurdity is used as a conceptual lens to describe the recurring contradiction between competency frameworks that promise technology-enabled…
doi.org
Monday, August 24
When LLMs Slow Down: How Environmental Impacts Mediate University Students' LLM Usage
Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly being embedded into all facets of society, from search to education, industrial, and financial applications. These systems' carbon and water footprints raise important sustainability concerns, particularly with adoption rates exceeding 80% among university students,…
arxiv.orgAnthropic Adding Invisible Watermarks to Claude-Generated Text
Anthropic recently announced it is introducing machine-readable watermarks to text generated by supported Claude models as it moves to comply with European Union AI transparency rules.
campustechnology.com
Friday, August 21
University of Houston slashes 40% of courses from its core curriculum
Dive Brief: The University of Houston has slashed about 40% of courses from the flagship's core curriculum as it works to comply with a new state law dictating the architecture of general education requirements at Texas public colleges. In the 2026-27 academic year, UH will adopt a core curriculum list with roughly…
highereddive.comA seemingly technical change to international student visas could disrupt teaching and research at US universities
New visa changes for international students are the latest step the Trump administration has taken that can make it harder for students to come to the U.S. to complete their degrees. LVector/iStock via Getty Images Plus The Trump administration is revising a visa rule for international students that in part determines…
theconversation.comBeyond the Binary: How Asian American Students at Elite Universities Make Meaning of Race-Conscious Admissions
doi.orgCrossing Borders and Telling Stories: A Narrative Inquiry of Asian International Students’ Engagement in U.S. Racial Justice Activism
International students’ engagement in racial justice activism remains understudied. Guided by International Student Critical Race Theory (IntlCrit) and using narrative inquiry, this study examines how transnational and institutional influences shaped Asian international students’ engagement in U.S. racial justice…
doi.org
Wednesday, August 19
Department of Education Issues Long-Awaited Edtech Guidance for States and Districts
The letter emphasizes outcomes and evidence but stops short of issuing federal regulations.
edsurge.comMicrosoft Merges Copilot Apps Into a Single User Experience
Microsoft recently announced it is consolidating its consumer Copilot app and Microsoft 365 Copilot app into a single destination, addressing a fragmented product strategy that has required users to navigate separate applications for AI chat and productivity tools.
campustechnology.com
Tuesday, August 18
How the Education Department can Strengthen IPEDS Data Quality
Over the last year, colleges and universities across the country bore the brunt of a rushed rollout for a new federal data collection. Unlike prior updates to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the new Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) was developed and implemented in a…
ihep.orgAI Skills for the Workforce
As generative AI becomes ever more pervasive in society, business, and in higher education, there are increasing calls for colleges and universities to ensure that students are AI-ready when they enter the workforce. But organizations have different visions of what AI readiness actually entails. These frameworks…
sr.ithaka.orgSHEEO launches national coalition of 20 states and territories to scale Work-Based Learning & Quality Coaching
Eight states to participate in an intensive learning community The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to welcome a 20-state coalition participating in Advancing State and Systems Strategies for Work-Based Learning, a national, multi-state initiative designed to help states build…
sheeo.orgTeachers as reflective regulators of cognition: Understanding cognitive offloading in AI-augmented practice
This study investigates how teachers perceive, manage, and reflect on the cognitive implications of integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into their professional practice with a focus on the evolving interplay between human judgment and automation. Using a collective case-study design, we conducted…
doi.orgA Muddy Climb: Organizational Conditions That Enhance Perceptions of Fairness for Non-Tenure Track Faculty Navigating Promotion
Although higher education institutions have increasingly put in place promotion policies and processes for non-tenure-track faculty (NTTF), little research has examined how NTTF navigate these nascent organizational structures. This qualitative case study investigates the experiences of 26 full-time NTTF at a large…
doi.org
Monday, August 17
Early Childhood Educators Are Leveling Up at Community Colleges
Research reveals little to no penalty from employers for teachers who earn four-year degrees at community colleges instead of universities.
edsurge.comWomen’s Experiences of Discrimination and Their Success Expectations in Higher Education: Evidence from Gendered Fields of Study
Abstract Women’s underrepresentation in male-dominated fields of study is often attributed to a gender gap in success expectations. Prior research shows that female students report lower confidence in their academic abilities and future success than men, not only in male-dominated but also in female-dominated and…
doi.orgFrom First Contact to Continuity: Developing a Record-Informed Follow-Up Pathway in a Moroccan University Counselling Centre. A Practice Report
Continuity after first contact is a practical challenge for university student support services, particularly during the first-year transition. This practice report documents the development phase of a service improvement initiative in a Moroccan public university science faculty. Fully de-identified routine records…
doi.org