HEADLINES: Top Higher Education News for the Week

March 2, 2026

Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle of Higher Education continued their coverage of ACEx2026... The Department of Defense is ending partnerships with nearly two dozen universities... The Hill reports on the impending Pell Grant funding shortfall... A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s request to eliminate the SAVE student loan repayment plan, CNBC reports... Higher education research offices asked the Education Department to extend the March deadline to compile with its expanded admissions data requirements, Inside Higher Ed reports.

Higher Ed Must Change, but There’s Little Agreement on How
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 27, 2026

Higher Ed ‘Has Lost Its North Star,’ Trump Official Tells Campus Leaders
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | Feb. 27, 2026

Pentagon to Curb Ties With Top Universities and Think Tanks
The New York Times (sub. req.) | Feb. 28, 2026

Pell Grant Funding Shortfall on the Horizon as Nearly 2 Million More Students Qualify
The Hill | Feb. 28, 2026

Judge Dismisses Trump Officials’ Bid to End Student Loan Repayment Plan Used by Millions of Borrowers
CNBC | Feb. 27, 2026

Overburdened Research Offices Request Extension on Admissions Survey
Inside Higher Ed | March 2, 2026

February 27, 2026

Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle of Higher Education cover ACE’s Annual Meeting… The Education Department is moving to speed up federal recognition of new accreditors, Inside Higher Ed reports… Open Campus reports that FAFSA completions are on track for a record-breaking year.

At Annual ACE Meeting, a Call to Uphold Higher Ed’s Mission
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 27, 2026

Feb. 27: Ted Mitchell on How Colleges Meet the Moment
The Chronicle of Higher Education | Feb. 27, 2026

ED Changes Timeline to Recognize New Accreditors
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 27, 2026

FAFSA Completions on Track for Record-Breaking Year
Open Campus | Feb. 27, 2026

February 26, 2026

Some Education Department efforts targeting DEI have been blocked, but the Trump administration is continuing its crackdown, Inside Higher Ed reports… AL.com examines how Alabama’s HBCUs remain resilient amid higher education upheaval, pointing to their origins, traditions, and strong sense of community… NSF is seeking to boost staffing after last year’s cuts while consolidating grant solicitations, Inside Higher Ed reports… The Christian Science Monitor looks at how colleges are supporting students facing food or housing insecurity by expanding basic-needs support services.

ED’s DEI Guidance Is Dead, but Trump’s Crackdown Isn’t
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 26, 2026

Alabama HBCUs’ Lasting Impact on State, Nation: ‘Freedom’
AL.com | Feb. 25, 2026

NSF Plans to Boost Staffing, Halve Grant Solicitations
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 26, 2026

3 in 5 US Undergrads Struggle With Basic Needs. How Some Colleges Are Helping.
The Christian Science Monitor | Feb. 2026

February 25, 2026

Minority-Serving Institutions face renewed uncertainty after Congress left room for the Trump administration to redirect or withhold grants, Inside Higher Ed reports… A new poll finds that most students report positive personal experiences with higher education… Higher Education Digest features National University President Mark Milliron discussing leadership, AI, and the future of online learning, while Higher Ed Dive spotlights Drexel University President Antonio Merlo and his efforts to elevate the institution’s national profile.

Congress Gave MSIs Funding, but Uncertainty Looms
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 25, 2026

Students Report Positive College Experiences Despite Declining Public Confidence, Gallup-Lumina Study Finds
The EDU Ledger | Feb. 24, 2026

Driving Meaningful Change in Higher Education
Higher Education Digest | Feb. 24, 2026

Can Drexel’s New President Make the University Into a Household Name?
Higher Ed Dive | Feb. 23, 2026

February 24, 2026

The Education Department announced two additional interagency agreements that will shift programs to other departments, the Associated Press reports, and Higher Ed Dive looks at how Congress has allowed the Trump administration to dismantle the department... Politico looks at how Congress could address the looming Pell Grant shortfall... The Washington Post spoke with students about benefits and challenges from their dual enrollment experiences... Creighton University President Daniel Hendrickson writes in the Nebraska Examiner about the importance of integrating AI holistically and humanistically.

Education Department Hands off More of Its Responsibilities to Other U.S. Agencies
Associated Press | Feb. 23, 2026

Congress Green-Lights Education Interagency Agreements — With Reservations
Higher Ed Dive | Feb. 24, 2026

How education experts think Congress could save a key grant program
Politico | Feb. 23, 2026

Why So Many High Schoolers Take College Courses — And Their Warnings for Others
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Feb. 23, 2026

AI Can Enhance Higher Education if Kept Holistic, Human-Centered
Nebraska Examiner | Feb. 24, 2026