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UC Regents Debate Reinstatement of SAT for Admissions Amidst Declining Math Scores

UC Regents Debate Reinstatement of SAT for Admissions Amidst Declining Math Scores

The University of California (UC) Regents are currently engaged in a significant public discussion regarding the potential reintroduction of SAT testing requirements for university admissions. This debate has been fueled by concerns from math and science faculty across the nine undergraduate campuses, who report a five-year decline in average grades for preparatory math, precalculus, and calculus courses, alongside an increase in D and F grades, no-pass marks, and withdrawals in these subjects. Over 3,000 UC faculty members have signed letters advocating for the SAT's return, citing a perceived lack of basic math and reasoning skills among some first-year students. Conversely, admissions officials from UCLA and UC Riverside have presented data suggesting that students admitted without test scores are not less likely to stay in school or graduate, with retention and graduation rates remaining stable or even increasing. Regent Jay Sures, who previously voted to eliminate the SAT, indicated he is reconsiderin...

Representative Mark Pocan Introduces Debt-Free College Act of 2026 to Expand Federal Student Aid Eligibility

Representative Mark Pocan Introduces Debt-Free College Act of 2026 to Expand Federal Student Aid Eligibility

Representative Mark Pocan has introduced H.R. 10455, the Debt-Free College Act of 2026, which aims to establish a federal grant program supporting state-federal partnerships for debt-free college. The bill, received on September 16, 2026, with 17 cosponsors, outlines conditions for participating states, including maintaining or increasing public higher education funding, capping tuition, and utilizing grant money for unmet student financial needs and success programs. Educational institutions participating in the program would be required to maintain or increase low-income student enrollment, sustain institutional aid for these students, provide full cost of attendance calculations, and disclose debt-free college options. Non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions such as probation, fines, or loss of program eligibility. Additionally, the bill proposes a separate grant program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) for need-based financ...

University of St. Thomas Launches $1 Billion Fundraising Campaign for Student Access and Academic Excellence

University of St. Thomas Launches $1 Billion Fundraising Campaign for Student Access and Academic Excellence

The University of St. Thomas has publicly launched its largest-ever fundraising initiative, 'Be Brilliant. Be Bold. The Campaign for St. Thomas,' with a goal of $1 billion. The campaign has already secured nearly $800 million in commitments from over 20,000 donors. This comprehensive campaign aims to significantly expand scholarship opportunities, invest in faculty and academic excellence, and create more transformative learning experiences for students. The university emphasizes that the campaign reflects growing confidence in its mission to educate graduates who combine professional excellence with a commitment to the common good. Volunteer co-chairs for the campaign include Andrew and Kathleen Cecere, Rory and Rhonda O’Neill, and Patrick and Ann Ryan, all of whom are members of St. Thomas’ Board of Trustees.

Northwest Missouri State University Students Gain Global Business Experience and Recognition in International Competition

Northwest Missouri State University Students Gain Global Business Experience and Recognition in International Competition

Northwest Missouri State University Students Gain Global Business Experience and Recognition in International Competition

Pitt Community College Secures NSF Grant to Enhance Biotechnology Training

Pitt Community College Secures NSF Grant to Enhance Biotechnology Training

Pitt Community College Secures NSF Grant to Enhance Biotechnology Training

UVA Center for the Arts Secures Nearly $300 Million in New Funding, Advancing Construction Plans

UVA Center for the Arts Secures Nearly $300 Million in New Funding, Advancing Construction Plans

The University of Virginia (UVA) has secured nearly $300 million in new funding for its long-planned Center for the Arts project, propelling it closer to construction. The funding includes a $205 million allocation from the Virginia state government, the largest state funding for a single capital project in UVA's history, and an additional $70 million gift from the Tessa Ader Marital Trust. This new gift, combined with a previous $60 million commitment from Tessa and Richard Ader, brings their total contribution to $130 million, making it the largest gift to a single building project at UVA. The Center for the Arts, slated for completion in 2030, will be located in the Emmet-Ivy Corridor and will integrate UVA's music department, dance program, and two museums: The Fralin Museum of Art and the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection. It will feature the Tessa and Richard Ader Performing Arts Center, including a 1,200-seat performance hall and a 150-seat recital venue.

UWM College of Engineering Applied Science Signs MOU for Joint Degree Programs with University of Seoul

UWM College of Engineering Applied Science Signs MOU for Joint Degree Programs with University of Seoul

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Seoul in South Korea to establish two joint engineering degree programs. The agreement will facilitate a '2+2' bachelor's degree program in any engineering department and a '1+1' master's degree program. Under the bachelor's program, undergraduates will complete the latter half of their degree at UWM, while master's students will spend a year at UWM to finalize their degrees. The signing ceremony was attended by UWM Chancellor Thomas Gibson, Interim Provost Tina Freiburger, College of Engineering & Applied Science Dean Brett Peters, and Lubar School of Business Dean Kaushal Chari, who welcomed a delegation from the University of Seoul, including President Yongkul Won, Dean of Engineering Soo Il Lee, Vice President for International Affairs Min Chan Pyo, Deputy Director Hye Jung Youn, and Chief Secretary Hyunghee Kim. UWM Associate Professors Woo Jin Chang and Jaejin Jang were instrumental in ho...

Einhorn Collaborative Donates $10 Million to Citizens and Scholars for College Civic Preparedness Initiative

Einhorn Collaborative Donates $10 Million to Citizens and Scholars for College Civic Preparedness Initiative

Einhorn Collaborative has announced a $10 million gift to Citizens and Scholars (C&S), a nonprofit dedicated to fostering engaged citizenship among college students. This significant investment will support C&S’s College Presidents for Civic Preparedness initiative, a coalition of 140 university leaders committed to integrating democratic principles and practices into campus life. The goal is to equip the next generation with essential civic learning skills, such as perspective-taking, constructive disagreement, and collaborative problem-solving. The initiative aims to reach 4.5 million students across 400 institutions over the next five years, transforming campus civic culture and preparing students to navigate complex societal challenges. This effort comes as a response to observations that America's social fabric is frayed and that higher education has largely failed to prepare students with the tools to engage in civil discourse and address polarization.

Kansas State University's College of Arts and Sciences Faces Budget Cuts Over $2.6 Million Gap

Kansas State University's College of Arts and Sciences Faces Budget Cuts Over $2.6 Million Gap

Kansas State University's College of Arts and Sciences is confronting substantial budget cuts over the next three fiscal years to address a $2.6 million budget gap. This decision follows a tense town hall meeting on September 10, where faculty members expressed broad displeasure with the new budget plans. According to the College of Arts and Sciences' presentation, there is a growing imbalance between the college’s revenue and expenditures. Key topics at the meeting included updates on Academic Program Review and Revitalization (APRR) procedures, enrollment trends, and the financial needs for the upcoming three years, presented by Jesse Perez Mendez, provost and executive vice president of K-State. Margaret Mohr-Schroeder, vice provost for academic innovation, indicated that APRR will revert to a four-year program review cycle, requiring self-studies and data collection to determine action plans for programs. Christie Lanius, associate dean for student success, highlighted a university-wide enrollment decl...

Arizona Republic

Arizona can't afford to lose the global talent race | Opinion

Arizona can't afford to lose the global talent race | Opinion

International student enrollment is falling in Arizona. The long-term cost may be lost talent for employers already struggling to fill critical jobs.

Boston-Area Colleges Launch New AI-Focused Programs to Prepare Workforce

Boston-Area Colleges Launch New AI-Focused Programs to Prepare Workforce

Several colleges in the Boston area are introducing new degree programs focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to equip students for a workforce increasingly shaped by rapidly developing technology. Wentworth Institute of Technology has begun offering a degree in applied artificial intelligence this fall. Northeastern University is launching two dozen interdisciplinary majors that integrate AI with various fields, including business, biochemistry, chemical engineering, and philosophy. Endicott College and Suffolk University are also planning to introduce AI-focused programs in fall 2027. Endicott will offer a degree in AI implementation, while Suffolk will introduce a 'co-major' in applied AI that students can combine with existing undergraduate programs. These initiatives aim to prepare students to utilize AI effectively rather than fearing job displacement, according to The Boston Globe. Andrew Perlman, vice president for academic innovation at Suffolk University, emphasizes the importance of teaching s...

U.S. Education Department Data Reveals High Nonpayment Rates for Student Loans at 500 Colleges, Primarily For-Profit Institutions

U.S. Education Department Data Reveals High Nonpayment Rates for Student Loans at 500 Colleges, Primarily For-Profit Institutions

New data from the U.S. Education Department indicates that at 500 colleges and universities across the U.S., at least 40% of recent federal loan borrowers are not repaying their loans. This data covers approximately 17 million borrowers who entered repayment between January 2020 and May 2025. The vast majority of these institutions (424) are private, for-profit schools, with only 15 being public institutions. Many of these for-profit colleges, such as UEI College and Miller-Motte College, rely heavily on federal aid, with some receiving between 79% and 89% of their revenue from the U.S. government. The nonpayment rates at these schools are significantly higher than the average of around 15% seen at public and private non-profit institutions. Experts like Eileen Connor of the Project on Predatory Student Lending and Preston Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute raise concerns about the value these schools provide and their continued access to federal funding.