HEADLINES: Top Higher Education News for the Week

October 6, 2026

​​​Inside Higher Ed covers a report from the Department of Education that shows the national cohort default rate has risen. . .Higher Ed Dive highlights some of the top higher education conferences in the coming year, including ACEx2027. . .Roll Call reports on the Protect College Sports Act’s potential challenges in the House. . .

As National Default Rate Stays Low, Other Data Offers Warning
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | October 6, 2026

Top Higher Education Conferences in 2027
Higher Ed Dive | October 6, 2026

Employee Question Could Stall Senate College Sports Bill at Midfield in House
Roll Call | October 5, 2026

October 5, 2026

​The Washington Post reports on ​challenges that borrowers who are in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program have faced. . .The Boston Globe shares an interview with Paul LeBlanc on the future of higher ed in the era of artificial intelligence. . .NPR covers how one community college is preparing students to fill data center roles. . .​

Thousands of Public Servants Are Stuck Waiting for Student Loan Forgiveness
​​The Washington Post (sub. req.) | October 5, 2026

Opinion | ‘Gen Z Has a Hunger for It’: Higher Ed’s Opportunity for Renewal
Boston Globe (sub. req.) | October 3, 2026

How Community Colleges Are Evolving to Fill Local Data Center Jobs​
NPR | October 3, 2026

October 2, 2026

Inside Higher Ed covers a new report on researcher mobility between the United States, Europe, and China. . .The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights a recent trend for large universities to establish campuses in southern Florida. . .Higher Ed Dive reports that the Department of Homeland Security is appealing a ruling that paused the duration of status rule, a proposal changing how long international students are allowed to stay in the United States, before it began to take effect. . .

‘Sharp’ Fall in Research Mobility Between E.U., U.S. and China​
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | October 2, 2026

Why Are Name-Brand Colleges Heading to Florida?
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | October 1, 2026

DHS Appeals Decision Blocking 4-Year Cap on Student Visas
Higher Ed Dive | October 1, 2026​

October 1, 2026

The Washington Post reports new data from a National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report that shows more than half of students take about four years to finish their degree. . .Inside Higher Ed covers how higher ed leaders are preparing to implement Workforce Pell on their campuses. . .A new survey highlights what adult learners are looking for as they pursue their degree, including competency-based education and flexibility, according to Inside Higher Ed. . .

Most Students Finish College in 4 Years or Less, Report Finds
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | October 1, 2026

College Leaders Prepare to Administer Workforce Pell as ED Approves Programs
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | October 1, 2026

Adult Learners Want More Than Flexibility
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | September 30, 2026

September 30, 2026

​​​The Wall Street Journal reports that Carnegie Mellon University will receive a $3 billion donation, which includes $2 billion to launch a campus in Miami, the largest individual gift to a higher education institution...Inside Higher Ed covers the potential impacts of the Trump administration’s pocket rescission on higher ed institutions. . .The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights a new report that examines the impact of the admissions data addition to IPEDS, the Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement, which required selective four-year colleges and universities to provide data dating back to seven years ago. . .The Washington Post reports that federal student loan borrowers have until the end of the calendar year to enroll in autopay to lower their interest by one percentage point. . .

Ken Griffin Is Making the Largest Donation to Higher Education in U.S. History
The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) | September 30, 2026

How Trump’s Pocket Rescissions Could Affect Higher Ed
Inside Higher Ed (sub. req.) | September 30, 2026

How Trump’s Admissions-Data Push Burdened Colleges
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | September 30, 2026

Student Loan Borrowers Get More Time to Enroll in Autopay for a Debt Discount
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | September 29, 2026

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