Higher education

Higher education

Academic Integrity Concern,

As the Supreme Court begins its new term this week, legal experts predict that higher education will be a frequent subject for the justices. Yet only two college-related cases-both of which center on transgender rights-are currently listed on the main docket. That's in large part because of a less formal but increasingly popular second list of cases known as the shadow docket. Historically, the shadow docket, also called the emergency docket, was used on rare occasions for just that-emergencies.

In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff. While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community and her spirit abides in thousands of lives. In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us, Reed added.

As college tuitions rise closer to $100,000 a year, both private and public Massachusetts colleges have made free tuition available to students with household incomes under amounts that range from $75,000 to $200,000. Due to the increase in financial aid, out-of-pocket costs have recently gone down nationwide, according to research from College Board. Many Mass. colleges offering free tuition to applicants under a certain household income have been announced over the past couple years, and have become available for students this fall 2025.

Coppin State University in Baltimore announced in 2023 that it would begin offering in-state tuition to any student who lived in one of the 41 U.S. states and territories without an HBCU-as well as the District of Columbia, which has two HBCUs-through a program called Expand Eagle Nation. In 2024, the first year of the program, the institution more than doubled the number of students from qualifying states to 195-up from 81 the previous fall.

Most students expect to see one professor at the front of the classroom throughout the semester. But for those attending Harvey Mudd College, a STEM-focused institution in California, it's not unusual to have four or more faculty members teaching one course. At Harvey Mudd, team teaching has been a distinguishing facet of the student experience for decades; most general education STEM courses for incoming students are taught by two or more professors.

When Kathleen Glynn-Sparrow worked as a college counselor at Maryland private schools, she regularly fielded that query from prospective families at open houses. But Glynn-Sparrow, who also founded a company called the College Coaches, says that when it comes to choosing a private school, it should be less about the pipeline to any specific university than about choosing a school that will allow a student to flourish.

Last year, I began my first year of college. Like many first-year university students, I was excited about the opportunity to socialize, explore a new environment, and engage in campus life. That meant hanging out with friends in the dining hall, going out on weekends, and taking advantage of the university social environment. But things changed around exam season. With final exams sometimes accounting for more than 40% of my grade, my priorities shifted quickly.

If you've been on TikTok lately, you've probably seen RushTok. Every summer sorority recruitment clips of fully coordinated outfits, chants, and behind the scenes drama take over our feeds. Beyond the sparkly dresses and get ready with me videos, RushTok highlights something way bigger: The power of personal branding.

One way to pursue this goal is to consider the role played by first-generation student success initiatives, which continue to enjoy broad public support. In the current climate, higher ed may be forgiven a rush to establish centers or initiatives for first-generation student success, as many colleges and universities already have. But before we get to raising funds and creating logos, let's pause and consider new ways to think about and organize such efforts to best meet the moment.

WashU chancellor Andrew Martin announced last month that the private university had cut 316 staff positions and closed another 198 vacant roles as part of an effort to restructure or reduce budgets. He wrote that the cuts, which extend to WashU's Medical Campus, total "more than $52 million in annual savings." The chancellor cited both external and internal pressures.

The fee, the complaint states, "will result in significant and potentially catastrophic setbacks to research that benefits the American public and ensures the United States remains a leading source of innovation and expertise. For example, the fee will likely result in sharp cutbacks in the employment of highly talented foreign workers and severe setbacks for university research, graduate programs, and clinical care, compounding an anticipated shortfall of 5.3 million skilled workers over the next decade."

"Everything seemed to be going according to plan," Herrmann said.

Syracuse, N.Y. - In the family of Fayetteville-Manlius lacrosse star Nate Conley, college decisions seem to lead down the same path. Like his two older brothers before him, Nate is headed to Rutgers University - though his journey there is uniquely his own.

The Native Forward Scholars Fund, a scholarship provider for Native American students, typically doles out aid to about 1,300 students per year through 40 different scholarship programs. But this year, those funds were delayed; students started fall classes without knowing how much scholarship money was coming their way. The holdup stemmed from a breakdown in information-sharing between scholarship providers and colleges-a by-product of changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Bama Rush may have made RushTok the internet phenomenon it is today, but this fall, another Southern school's standout recruitment season gave the sisters at the University of Alabama a run for their money. With eight nationally recognized Panhellenic chapters, roughly 20% of the student body participating in Greek life, and a six-day recruitment period that went absolutely viral this year, the College of Charleston dominated RushTok 2025. And the success was no accident.

For students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, alumni mentors are becoming embedded in their experience. A recently launched mentorship program pairs each rising junior with a graduate from the college to provide advice and encouragement as they finish their last two years of college. The initiative, part of Gettysburg's reimagining of career development, helps students build a professional network before they leave college and hopefully eases the transition into life after graduation, said Billy Ferrell, director of external relations in Gettysburg's Center for Career Engagement.

Hundreds of international students will be able to take up their promised places after negotiations between the Home Office and University College London ended with the government granting extra visas. Hundreds of students, many from China, had been left in limbo after UCL underestimated the demand for places this year and exceeded its allocation of confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) electronic documents allowed by the Home Office.

"Current approaches frequently result in delays in students receiving necessary information about how their credits will transfer, the need to retake courses, and other negative consequences for students," said a statement the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions released Monday. "Technological advances, such as AI, can help institutions improve this process."

The Boston Business Journal analyzed endowment amounts per full-time enrollment rates as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year, using data from the U.S. Department of Education to determine the rankings.

"My whole career has been focused on equity and how higher ed is situated in the democratic experiment, so when I was asked to do the next thing, I felt compelled to do it,"

Out of 584 public and private universities ranked, Stanford University was named the best college in the country, just ahead of Babson College, Yale University, Princeton University and Harvard University. Stanford's placement at the top of the list is a victory for the prestigious Bay Area school after it was ranked at No. 3 last year and No. 4 the previous year. UC Berkeley was the public California university that appeared highest on the list, ranking No. 7,

When Allston and Brighton residents swiped their gym cards at Harvard in early September, they were stunned to find their access cut off - ending a decade-long, under-the-radar but increasingly popular perk that let them use the university's athletic facilities for about $5 a month. In response, residents took to social media, voicing their shock and dismay over the program ending. Residents say the perk allowed them access to a pool, gym, and track, all of which are limited in supply in the neighborhood.

Upward transfer is viewed as a mechanism to provide college students with an accessible and affordable on-ramp to higher education through two-year colleges, but breakdowns in the credit-transfer process can hinder a student's progress toward their degree. A recent survey by Sova and the Beyond Transfer Policy Advisory Board found the average college student loses credits transferring between institutions and has to repeat courses they've already completed. Some students stop out of higher education altogether because transfer is too challenging.