HEADLINES: Top Higher Education News for the Week

September 28, 2026

​​Inside Higher Ed covers the Trump administration’s latest rescission package, which includes funding for Education Department programs. . .Roll Call reports on the Protect College Sports Act, which may be the last piece of major legislation to advance before election day. . .Inside Higher Ed highlights research from the Brookings Institution on how free tuition policies are a powerful tool to communicate affordability and recruit students. . .The EDU Ledger covers the federal policy changes the Trump administration is implementing near the end of the federal fiscal year, including the grantmaking process and accreditation. . .

White House Tries to Cancel Millions for International Ed Programs​
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | September 28, 2026

This Week: Senate Takes Final Votes Before Elections
Roll Call | September 28, 2026

Free Tuition Deals Most Effective as Marketing Strategies, Research Shows
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | September 28, 2026​

Federal Moves Put Higher Ed’s Money and Gatekeepers Under Scrutiny
The EDU Ledger | September 27, 2026​

September 25, 2026

Inside Higher Ed covers ACE and other higher ed associations’ response to the Education Department’s proposed changes to the grantmaking process. . .The Wall Street Journal reports that private universities are implementing new strategies to help lower attendance costs for students. . .Higher Ed Dive highlights that higher ed institutions are continuing to see a decline in international student enrollment as more enrollment data is released. . .The Chronicle of Higher Education covers the changes that Syracuse University is making to ensure the institution’s long-term stability. . .The Washington Post covers a lawsuit from a group of students against the Education Department, saying that ED canceled their debt but continued to report it as active to credit bureaus. . .

Higher Ed Groups Bash ED Proposal to Allow More Grant Terminations
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | September 25, 2026

Colleges Once Saw High Tuition as a Sign of Quality. Now They’re Slashing Prices.
The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) | September 25, 2026

Major Public Universities Report Hits to International Enrollment
Higher Ed Dive | September 25, 2026

Existential U.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | September 24, 2026

Students Sue Education Dept., Claiming It Reported $4.6B in Canceled Loans as Debt​
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | September 25, 2026

September 24, 2026

​​NPR covers insights into how the Trump administration’s changes to the Education Department have made the department more inefficient. . .The New York Times highlights that the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity tabled their accreditation vote on the American Bar Association. . .The Hill reports on the Education Department’s announcement that the FAFSA has opened for students earlier than ever before. . .

The Education Dept. Hasn't Been Dismantled. It's Become More Inefficient, Staff Say
NPR | September 24, 2026

American Bar Association Fights to Keep Power to Vet Law Schools
The New York Times (sub. req.) | September 24, 2026

Education Department Announces Earliest FAFSA Launch in Program History​
The Hill | September 23, 2026​

September 23, 2026

​An opinion piece in The Washington Post from Sen. McCormick (R-PA) highlights the importance of medical research and why the federal government should invest in research and development. . .The Wall Street Journal covers a new report from Cornell University that includes recommendations of how higher education can address issues like AI and federal and state funding. . .Inside Higher Ed reports that the Education Department will be redirecting more than $235 million in funders for minority-serving institutions to HBCUs and tribal colleges. . .Higher Ed Dive covers how the Protect College Sports Act could shift the collegiate athletics landscape. . .

Opinion | I’m a Republican Senator. America Needs More Science, Not Less.
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | September 23, 2026

In 200-Page Report, Cornell Confronts the Crisis in American Higher Education
The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) | September 22, 2026

ED Redirects $235M in MSI Funds to HBCUs, Tribal Colleges
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | September 23, 20206​

College Athletics Rack Up Millions in Deficits as Senate Eyes Oversight Bill
Higher Ed Dive | September 22, 2026​

September 22, 2026

​Inside Higher Ed covers how higher ed associations have been responding to the Trump administration’s proposed rule to change accreditation. . .Inside Higher Ed reports on how apprenticeships with some college instruction can fast track students’ access to Workforce Pell Grants. . .Higher Ed Dive reports that California has passed a law that will expand 4-year degree offerings at community colleges. . .

Higher Ed Groups P​ush Back on Trump’s New Accreditation Rule​​​​
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | September 22, 2026

How Apprenticeships Can H​elp Colleges Access Workforce Pell
​Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | ​September 22, ​2026​​​​

California Governor Signs Laws ​to Expand 4-Year Degrees at Community Colleges
Higher Ed Dive | September 21, 2026​​​​​​

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