U.S. universities

Higher education leaders are arguing that colleges must adapt to artificial intelligence and shifting student needs to stay relevant. The discussion, highlighted by U.S. News & World Report, focuses on how institutions should rethink teaching, curricula and support services as AI changes the job market and student expectations.

Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint reports that attackers are hijacking .edu email accounts belonging to U.S. universities and using them to run multi-stage fraud schemes. The campaigns combine fake job offers with advance-fee fraud, exploiting the trust associated with legitimate university email addresses. Security researchers warn recipients to be cautious with unsolicited job-related messages, even those sent from seemingly authentic .edu accounts.

U.S. News & World Report highlights how American colleges are rethinking workforce preparation under the banner 'From Campus to Career'. The piece examines changes universities are making to better equip graduates for the job market. Brandeis University is among the institutions associated with the discussion, though specific measures cited remain limited.

The University of Michigan has dropped out of the top 20 in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings, now placing 29th. The student paper, The Michigan Daily, reported the decline, which marks a notable slide for a university long considered among the nation's leading public institutions. Reactions on campus and among alumni are likely to focus on what the drop means for Michigan's prestige and admissions.

Hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin has made the single largest donation ever given to a United States university, according to a report by Fast Company. The gift sets a new record for higher-education philanthropy in the country, adding to Griffin's history of large-scale giving to academic institutions and drawing attention to the growing role of billionaire donors in university funding.

Arizona State University President Michael Crow hosted a U.S. historian for a public conversation covering the past, present and future of American democracy. The event, covered by the student newspaper The State Press, framed democratic institutions as under pressure and examined how history might inform the country's political direction. It comes amid ongoing national debate over the health of democratic norms in the United States.

Billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin is making the largest donation to higher education in United States history, according to an exclusive report. The unprecedented gift, if confirmed at its reported scale, would surpass all previous charitable contributions to American universities. The story is drawing widespread attention given Griffin's existing record of major gifts to institutions including Harvard, and debate over the growing influence of billionaire donors on higher education.

Researchers at Brown University report that young U.S. veterans carry higher levels of PFAS, the long-lasting 'forever chemicals' linked to health risks, than similarly-aged Americans who never served. The findings suggest military service may increase exposure to these substances, which are associated with firefighting foams and industrial materials widely used on bases.

College and university leaders in the United States are exploring how artificial intelligence could change the way higher education operates, according to U.S. News & World Report. The discussion covers how AI might reshape teaching, administration and institutional structures as schools weigh both the opportunities and disruptions the technology brings to campuses.

The U.S. Department of Education has formally moved to restore the 2020 Title IX regulations, reversing the Biden-era rules that had expanded protections for students alleging sexual discrimination. The 2020 rules, adopted under the first Trump administration, strengthened due process rights for those accused in campus sexual misconduct cases. The restoration will affect how schools and universities nationwide handle Title IX complaints and investigations.

The U.S. Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, legislation aimed at regulating college athletics. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, where its fate remains uncertain. Commentary so far focuses on the potential impact on college sports governance, particularly around athlete compensation and the NCAA's role, as observers watch whether the House will take up and advance the measure.

U.S. News & World Report reports that higher education leaders are looking to artificial intelligence to rethink how colleges operate. The discussion covers how AI could reshape everything from teaching and student services to administrative workloads on campus. University presidents and administrators are weighing both the efficiency gains and the risks, including concerns about academic integrity, equity of access, and the pace at which institutions can realistically adopt the technology.

The Protect College Sports Act has passed its latest vote in the U.S. Senate and now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for approval. The legislation concerns college sports, though details of its provisions and the substance of the Senate debate were not included in the available reporting. Attention now shifts to whether House leadership will schedule a vote and whether the bill can secure enough support to advance toward becoming law.

A new Quinnipiac University national poll puts Democrats at 51% and Republicans at 39% on the generic ballot for control of the U.S. House, with Democrats boosted by independent voters and leading on key issues. The survey also finds 71% of respondents prefer candidates who support stricter AI guardrails, suggesting artificial intelligence regulation is becoming a political priority.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded more than $1.3 million to universities in North Dakota. The funding was announced through Senator Kevin Cramer's Senate office, which publicized the federal grants for the state's higher education institutions. The awards are intended to support health-related research and programs at the universities, adding to federal investment in North Dakota's academic institutions.