Tag: Jobs

  • The Rise of Degree Apprenticeships

    The Rise of Degree Apprenticeships

    Degree apprenticeships, programs that let students earn a college degree while gaining paid work experience, are a fast-growing model in education and workforce development. But new research from the think tank New America finds access to them remains limited and uneven.

    A report released this month by New America’s Center on Education & Labor found that about 350 institutions nationwide offered nearly 600 degree apprenticeship programs integrated with associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees, preparing students for 91 different occupations.

    Among institutions that offer them, degree apprenticeships are concentrated in a small number of fields, with K–12 teaching and registered nursing accounting for the largest share.

    Ivy Love, a senior policy analyst at New America, said degree apprenticeships are especially valuable for states facing teacher or nurse shortages.

    “These are two rapidly growing professional areas for degree apprenticeships,” Love said. “There is an opportunity to make these paths into these professions more accessible.”

    Degree apprenticeships combine paid work experience, on-the-job training, employer-aligned classroom instruction and recognized credentials with an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree. Learners participate in work-based learning while completing coursework—known as related technical instruction—at a college or university that aligns with what they are learning on the job.

    These programs are emerging at a moment of growing skepticism about the value of a college degree. In New America’s Varying Degrees 2025 survey, just 52 percent of adults—a slim majority—said a postsecondary credential is the minimum level of education they believe a close family member needs to ensure financial security.

    At the same time, New America found that earning a postsecondary degree remains the surest path to economic stability and family-supporting wages. In 2024, households with two adults needed to earn more than $100,000 a year to support two children—a level of pay that typically requires at least an associate degree, the report said.

    Lancy Downs, a senior policy analyst at New America, said one story that stood out in the report came from an administrator at an Alabama community college where more than half the students attend part-time. The administrator explained that this is because school is optional, but work is not.

    “We see [degree apprenticeships] as an effective way to upskill people into higher-paying jobs with more upward mobility,” Downs said. “They also help bring more people into professions well suited for this model, allowing students to earn a paycheck, attend school and take on minimal debt at the same time.”

    The findings: The report found that programs that prepare K–12 teachers made up 156 of the nearly 600 degree apprenticeships identified, while registered nursing programs accounted for 51. Other positions represented include electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians, electricians, and industrial engineering technologists and technicians.

    With the exception of teaching, most degree apprenticeship opportunities are concentrated at the associate-degree level. Two-thirds of the programs awarded associate degrees, 29 percent awarded bachelor’s degrees and 4 percent awarded master’s degrees, according to the report. Most associate-level credentials were associate of applied science degrees.

    Love said occupational requirements are the main factor driving these patterns: Careers in teaching typically require a bachelor’s degree, while nursing careers can be started with an associate degree.

    “Community colleges have been really involved in degree apprenticeships, many of them for quite some time,” Love said. She noted that although some universities offer degree apprenticeships as well, community colleges’ “workforce orientation” gives them more familiarity with the model, and two-year institutions are more likely to have close connections to employers in technical fields.

    The report also found that rural and small-town colleges are disproportionately represented among institutions offering teacher apprenticeships, suggesting degree apprenticeships in teaching are shaped by local workforce needs.

    Downs said she suspects the prevalence of the “grow-your-own” model in teacher training explains this pattern.

    “It’s possible that the prevalence of those already in teaching contributed to the overrepresentation in many rural communities,” Downs said.

    The implications: Downs said degree apprenticeships’ small program size, reliance on public funding and other structural factors must be addressed for programs to succeed.

    “We don’t really fund degree apprenticeships the same way we fund K–12 schools or even higher education,” Downs said, noting that most funding comes from “one-off” federal grants.

    “More funding is needed to get [degree apprenticeship] programs up and off the ground and figure out how to run them sustainably,” she said.

    Beyond funding, Downs said the programs also need to be thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of the students they serve.

    “If you can get credit for what you’re learning on the job, you don’t have to sit in a classroom to learn the same thing again. It makes the programs more efficient for learners and employers, which we support,” Downs said.

    Love said the degree apprenticeship model allows students to combine the benefits of work and education in a single pathway.

    “This is a ‘yes, and’ strategy,” Love said. “Through [degree apprenticeship] programs, we hope to learn more in the coming years about how they open pathways to important professions while giving people another option that brings the best of both worlds together.”

    Get more content like this directly to your inbox. Subscribe here.

    Source link

  • Strategies for Supporting International Scholars (opinion)

    Strategies for Supporting International Scholars (opinion)

    International scholars represent a vital economic force in the United States, contributing an estimated $42.9 billion to the economy and supporting more than 355,000 jobs during the 2024–25 academic year. But navigating the U.S. immigration system as an international student or postdoctoral researcher can be a long and complex journey.

    While everyone is subject to their individual situations, for many, the process begins with an F-1 student visa, which they hold as they complete a Ph.D. over five to six years. After graduation, they may choose to transition to Optional Practical Training (OPT), which provides a year of work authorization, with a two-year extension for STEM graduates. Some may then transition to a H-1B temporary work visa, which provides for three years of work authorization and is renewable for another three years.

    Depending on their visa journey, after this period of potentially 10 to 15 years on a temporary visa, a scholar who decides they would like to seek permanent residency would have several pathways available to them. The EB-1A (extraordinary ability) category allows for self-petitioning without an employer. It’s often the fastest route if one meets the strict qualifications.

    EB-1B is for outstanding professors or researchers and requires employer sponsorship. EB-2, another common path, is for individuals with advanced degrees such as Ph.D. holders; it often requires employment sponsorship and a labor certification (a process that certifies that the job offer will not adversely impact U.S. workers), unless one qualifies for a National Interest Waiver, which waives the job offer and labor certification requirement and allows for self-petitioning. Unfortunately, the green card timeline is also heavily influenced by one’s country of birth due to annual per-country limits.

    As universities recognize the critical importance of international students and scholars to their academic communities and the broader economy, innovative programs have emerged to address the unique challenges faced by this population. Below, we highlight some commendable strategies implemented by leading universities to support international students beyond traditional academic services.

    Career Development and Professional Preparedness

    Universities can collaborate with private organizations like Beyond the Professoriate, which offers a PhD Career Conference addressing critical career-related topics. These career-focused initiatives are particularly valuable because they address the reality that many international students and scholars will pursue careers outside academia, yet traditional graduate programs often provide limited exposure to industry pathways.

    Complementing these efforts, universities can implement career-readiness workshops tailored specifically for international scholars to address their unique professional development needs. The effectiveness of such programs lies in their practical approach to addressing real-world concerns such as navigating visa restrictions or OPT applications and securing employment that supports immigration status.

    We recommend that institutions thoughtfully include entities that hire international students in their programming and create events that specifically connect employers and international scholars. Institutions should also help scholars explore job opportunities beyond the United States.

    Mentorship Networks and Alumni Connections

    Mentorship programs represent another cornerstone of effective international student support. Programs like the Graduate Alum Mentoring Program, Terrapins Connect, Alumni Mentoring Program and Conference Mentor Program serve as exemplary models. Successful programs take a systematic approach to matching mentors and mentees based on shared interests, career goals and often similar international backgrounds, creating authentic relationships that provide comprehensive support for scholars’ academic journeys and beyond. For international students and scholars unfamiliar with cultural norms around American professional networking, having a guide with a shared background transforms potentially overwhelming experiences into valuable opportunities for professional development.

    Community Building and Recognition

    Universities that successfully support international populations prioritize creating multiple touch points for community engagement and mutual support, from informal networking events to structured support groups that address specific challenges. Community engagement is critical to minimizing isolation and allows scholars to draw on support from a variety of sources. These touch points can include accessible initiatives such as Friendship Fridays, International Coffee Hour, the Global Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program, International Student Support Circle, VISAS Cafe and International Friends Club.

    Another strategy is systematically highlighting the accomplishments of international students, scholars and faculty, and staff members at the university level. Recognition programs can include features in university publications, special awards ceremonies, spotlight presentations, fellowships and social media campaigns showcasing international student achievements. These initiatives celebrate contributions, demonstrate the value of international diversity and provide positive role models while combating negative stereotypes.

    Peer Support

    Since they first emerged in the early 1900s, international student associations have been central to their members’ identity formation and have long enriched U.S. campuses and social life. In these challenging times, such organizations can help their members find the support they need. National organizations such the Graduate Students Association of Ghanaian Students in the USA (GRASAG-USA) or the North American Association of Indian Students (NAAIS), as well as local chapters of groups like the Indian Students Association, continue to be effective social and emotional support resources for international students.

    Providing Support in Navigating Immigration Policy Changes

    Given the lengthy and often uncertain nature of immigration processes, U.S. institutions play a vital role in offering both practical support and emotional reassurance to their international members. Some institutions offer free legal consultations with external immigration attorneys. Institutions may choose to provide internal immigration advice in addition to external consultations.

    Institutions may also support foreign nationals by providing information through a weekly newsletter as well as offering up-to-date guidance on policies and policy changes in an easily understandable format. Institutions without these forms of support may choose to refer scholars to national organizations that collate policy analysis and resources.

    Furthermore, universities can offer programs spotlighting lesser-known immigration options, such as the O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary ability.

    By providing clear information, legal support and proactive communication, institutions and organizations can alleviate much of the stress international scholars face.

    The most effective approaches involve integrated systems that combine multiple strategies rather than relying on single interventions. Successful universities create comprehensive ecosystems addressing career development, mentorship, community building and recognition as interconnected elements of student success. When institutions act not just as employers or educators, but as advocates, they empower the international talent they have invested in and ensure that global knowledge continues to thrive.

    The authors acknowledge Sonali Majumdar and Bénédicte Gnangnon for their valuable contributions toward this article.

    Zarna Pala serves as assistant director of the Biological Sciences Graduate Program at the University of Maryland, College Park. She earned her Ph.D. in molecular parasitology from BITS Pilani, India, and brings multifaceted experience spanning infectious diseases research, academic administration and innovative program design; her work encompasses strategic admissions planning, cross-institutional partnerships, developing professional development resources and advocacy for early-career researchers.

    Rashmi Raj is the assistant dean for student and postdoctoral affairs at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. She completed her doctorate in biochemistry at the National University of Singapore prior to completing a postdoc in metabolic engineering at Northwestern University; in her current role, Rashmi oversees postdoctoral program development, faculty development and career development programming and alumni engagement for both predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers.

    Henry Boachi is a program manager at University of Virginia’s Environmental Institute. He leads the institute’s recruitment, professional development and community engagement work with postdoctoral scholars through the Climate Fellows Program. He also supports practitioner fellows who are recruited to enrich UVA’s climate research efforts with their professional field (nonfaculty) experiences.

    Source link

  • New Bill Would Consolidate Mississippi Community Colleges

    New Bill Would Consolidate Mississippi Community Colleges

    Legislation introduced by Mississippi representative Trey Lamar, chairman of the state’s House Ways and Means Committee, proposes consolidating six Mississippi community colleges, Magnolia Tribune reported. The bill has been referred to the House Universities and Colleges Committee for review.

    If signed into law, the bill would merge the Mississippi Delta and Coahoma community college districts, the East Mississippi and Meridian community college districts, and the Copiah-Lincoln and Southwest Mississippi community college districts by July 2027. The move would reduce the number of community colleges in the state from 15 to 12.

    College facilities wouldn’t have to close, “unless the facility is an unneeded administrative office located within a community college district which has been abolished,” according to the legislation.

    Lamar argued consolidating the community colleges will mean more money to go around.  

    “At a time where the community college system is asking the taxpayers of Mississippi to fund tens of millions in new investment into the system, the savings realized from administrative consolidation at our smaller schools could be immediately rolled into the 12 remaining community colleges for significant staff and faculty pay raises,” he told the Magnolia Tribune.

    Kell Smith, executive director of the Mississippi Community College Board, told Inside Higher Ed, “The proposal to consolidate several Mississippi community college districts raises important questions worth careful consideration. Any potential administrative efficiencies should be weighed alongside the impact on students, faculty, staff, and the communities these colleges serve. Clear communication, transparency, and input from stakeholders will be essential as discussions move forward.”

    Source link

  • DHS Targeted Students for Protected Speech

    DHS Targeted Students for Protected Speech

    The administration’s push to deport international students and scholars prompted protests and lawsuits.

    David Dee Delgado/Getty Images News

    Federal government officials targeted and arrested international students for First Amendment–protected activity last year, despite internal concerns about the legality of such efforts, newly unsealed court documents show.

    Dossiers and summaries compiled by government officials used to justify legal action against international students targeted by the Department of Homeland Security do not include allegations of criminality but instead focus on their participation in pro-Palestinian protests.

    Documents show such arrests were in connection with students exercising their First Amendment rights, with DHS officials casting pro-Palestinian protests as antisemitic and arguing that targeted individuals presented a threat to U.S foreign policy based on their activism.

    While a judge ruled against the federal government last fall, documents unsealed on Thursday offer new insights into the case. That same day, U.S. District Judge William Young also ruled that the Trump administration’s policy of targeting international students and faculty members for their activism was unlawful and in violation of the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act, and he imposed limits on how the federal government may pursue related immigration actions.

    Targets named in the documents include Mahmoud Khalil, Rümeysa Öztürk, Mohsen Mahdawi, Yunseo Chung—all current students or recent graduates—and Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University. All were targeted for speech protected by the First Amendment.

    In a memo intended for U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, subordinates flagged various transgressions that they argued justified action against international students and scholars, such as leading campus protests. In the case of Öztürk, the justification was that she had written an op-ed in a student newspaper in which she called for Tufts University, which she attends, to divest from companies with direct ties to Israel due to concerns about Palestinian casualties.

    Federal officials tried to tie Suri to Hamas through his wife, a Palestinian American whose father once advised a Hamas leader. A government memo included claims from outside sources that Suri “actively spreads the terror group’s propaganda and promotes virulent antisemitism.” DHS officials have repeated such claims publicly but have not provided any evidence.

    Officials painted protest activities broadly as antisemitic, arguing in one document that targets such as Khalil were “creating a hostile environment for Jewish students and indicating support for a designated terrorist organization.” However, documents did not include evidence of any ties to or support for Hamas. Instead, officials broadly framed participation in protests or social media posts critical of the Israeli government and military as inherently supportive of Hamas.

    But even as they targeted students, federal officials knew they were on shaky legal ground.

    “Given the potential that a court may consider his actions inextricably tied to speech protected under the First Amendment, it is likely that courts will scrutinize the basis for this determination,” federal government officials wrote in a memo that justified the arrest of international scholars.

    Before issuing the order Thursday, Young blasted federal officials from the bench last week, proclaiming that Rubio and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem failed to uphold the Constitution and engaged in a “conspiracy to pick off certain people” for their beliefs, despite clear First Amendment concerns.

    Free speech advocates have sharply criticized the federal government for arresting and attempting to deport international students solely based on their pro-Palestinian activism.

    “Newly unsealed evidence makes it even clearer that Rubio and Noem knew they were targeting students based solely on their political speech and that they knew this policy was unconstitutional. They just didn’t care,” Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia, which supported plaintiffs in the case, wrote online. “The policy had nothing to do with fighting antisemitism and everything to do with suppressing legitimate and constitutionally protected criticism of Israel.”

    The lawsuit against the Trump administration was filed last year by the American Association of University Professors and the Middle East Studies Association. In a social media post following the order, AAUP president Todd Wolfson wrote, “This ruling is not everything we needed or expected but it is still a significant step forward.”

    DHS officials did not respond to a request for comment.

    Source link

  • University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor to Lead Columbia

    University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor to Lead Columbia

    Mnookin will be the fourth leader in three years at Columbia.

    DNY59/iStock/Getty Images

    Columbia University has selected Jennifer Mnookin, a legal scholar and current chancellor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, as its next president. 

    Jennifer L. Mnookin

    University of Wisconsin–Madison

    Mnookin has led the Wisconsin flagship since 2022 and will remain in her role through the spring commencement. Before taking the top spot at UW-Madison, she served as dean of the UCLA School of Law.

    Mnookin will be the fourth leader in three years at Columbia. Since 2023 the institution has been disrupted by student protests, faced $400 million in cuts to federal research funding and agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement with the Trump administration. 

    Mnookin will replace Claire Shipman, the former co-chairperson of the Board of Trustees, who has been acting president since March 2025, when interim president Katrina Armstrong resigned. Armstrong took over for Minouche Shafik, who was the university’s last permanent president and resigned in August 2024.

    According to The Wall Street Journal, Columbia chose Mnookin because of her success navigating polarized politics in Wisconsin and dealing with the federal government. 

    During her tenure, Mnookin launched programs guaranteeing full financial support for Pell-eligible in-state students and for undergraduates who are members of federally recognized Wisconsin American Indian tribes and pursuing their first degree. She also increased the institution’s research spending to $1.93 billion, making it the fifth-highest-ranked institution in the country for research expenditures. 

    Her term has not been without controversy, though. Last July, the institution closed its diversity, equity and inclusion office amid scrutiny into its funding from Republican state lawmakers. In October, the university announced cost-cutting measures after it had federal grants terminated and received stop-work orders on some projects.

    In a statement, Mnookin said her time at UW-Madison has been “life-changing.”

    “It has been a true honor to be a part of the Wisconsin family. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, even in a challenging period for higher education, and I know great possibilities lie ahead for the UW-Madison campus community.”

    Jay Rothman, president of the Universities of Wisconsin, extended “substantial gratitude” to Mnookin.

    “During her tenure, Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin brought unbounded energy, resilience and deeply thoughtful leadership to this great university,” Rothman said.

    Source link

  • Iowa Lawmakers Seek to End Student Vote on Board of Regents

    Iowa Lawmakers Seek to End Student Vote on Board of Regents

    The University of Iowa is one of three public institutions overseen by the board.

    A voting student position on the Iowa Board of Regents would be eliminated under a new bill advanced by the Hawkeye State’s House higher education subcommittee, The Iowa Capital Dispatch reported.

    If passed and signed into law, the bill would replace the student regent with a ninth one appointed by the governor. In addition, seven new nonvoting member seats would be established: three for students, two for state senators and two for state representatives. 

    The proposed legislation also details several new policies and programs the board would be required to establish and would give members of the state’s General Assembly the ability to override board and university expenditures through a joint resolution.

    The policies outlined align with the key higher education priorities for Republicans in the statehouse who hold a majority. They include:

    • Establishing a post-tenure review process
    • Developing approval standards for new academic programs
    • Barring faculty senates from “exercising any governance authority over the institution”
    • Conducting biennial reviews of all general education requirements and low-enrollment academic programs
    • Creating an ombudsman office that will “investigate complaints of violations of state or federal law or board policy”

    Iowa’s Board of Regents serves as a centralized governing body overseeing all three of the state’s four-year institutions—the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. Public community colleges are overseen by locally elected boards.

    Source link

  • Dr. TB

    Dr. TB

    Dr. TB

    Sara Brady

    Fri, 01/23/2026 – 03:00 AM

    The Boy has been accepted to medical school!

    Byline(s)
    Matt Reed

    Source link

  • 4 Campuses Targeted in Latest Rash of Swatting Calls

    4 Campuses Targeted in Latest Rash of Swatting Calls

    Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Ala., evacuated its campus and moved classes online Thursday morning due to a threatening email.

    At least four campuses on Thursday received swatting calls—false reports of active or impending threats intended to disrupt operations and whip up a significant police response. 

    Early Thursday morning, officials at Villanova University outside Philadelphia received a “threat of violence targeted at an academic building” and quickly closed their campus and canceled all activities. University officials issued an all clear at 1:36 p.m. on Thursday and noted that the FBI and local law enforcement were continuing their investigation. 

    Alcorn State University in Mississippi initiated a campus lockdown Thursday morning due to a “safety threat,” which officials cleared several hours later. Wiley University in Texas also locked down its campus due to a “threat via email” and lifted the lockdown at noon Thursday. 

    Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Ala., evacuated its campus and moved classes online Thursday morning due to a “threatening” email, college officials said. A nearby elementary school also entered lockdown due to the same threat, AL.com reported. 

    K–12 schools across the country have also seen an uptick in swatting calls in recent days. Four schools in the San Diego Unified School District were the target of swatting calls Tuesday. Several Maine schools also received threats on Wednesday.

    It’s unclear whether any of these threats are related. In August, colleges and universities across the country experienced a wave of swatting incidents that were later claimed by an extremist group. About a month later, seven historically Black colleges and universities received false bomb threats. 

    Source link

  • Cornell Receives $371.5M Pledge From Alumnus Entrepreneur

    Cornell Receives $371.5M Pledge From Alumnus Entrepreneur

    Cornell University has received a pledge of $371.5 million from alumnus and software entrepreneur David Duffield, marking the largest single gift in the institution’s history.

    Combined with previous gifts from Duffield—which now total $550 million—the new contribution will establish the Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering. Cornell is already home to Duffield Hall, which was completed in 2004 and houses research and teaching facilities for nanoscale science and engineering. Last year Duffield pledged $100 million—at the time, the largest gift in Cornell’s history—to update and expand the eponymous building.

    The new pledge will be used primarily for endowment funds, including $250 million for the Duffield Legacy Fund, which will support the university’s ongoing strategic pursuits, and $50 million to advance key priorities related to educational excellence. The remainder will create the Duffield Launch Fund, which will support updating the college’s physical infrastructure, strengthening research facilities, supporting teaching and learning, and advancing research excellence.

    “I welcome the opportunity to help advance technological research, innovation and leadership at Cornell,” Duffield said in news release. “I’ve worked closely with many Cornellians over the years, and they consistently demonstrate exceptional leadership, creativity and problem-solving abilities. It’s a privilege to give back to my alma mater in ways that strengthen the university’s commitment to excellence.”

    Duffield has credited his Cornell professors for setting him on the path to success. He went on to become the founding CEO of two companies— PeopleSoft and Workday—that were each valued at $1 billion or more at their initial public offerings.

    “Many Cornell graduates have gone on to make incredible contributions to society through their innovations,” Cornell president Michael I. Kotlikoff said in a statement. “Among this esteemed group, Dave Duffield stands out for his transformational accomplishments and his determination to do the greatest good. We are tremendously grateful for Dave’s generous previous support of the College of Engineering and the Veterinary College. And Dave’s new gift and naming of the College of Engineering will impact Cornellians for generations and is an extraordinary tribute to the college and to Cornell.”

    Source link

  • Higher Ed Spent Millions on Lobbying in 2025

    Higher Ed Spent Millions on Lobbying in 2025

    Several research universities ratcheted up spending on lobbying last year.

    Photo illustration by Justin Morrison/Inside Higher Ed | Feverpitched/iStock/Getty Images

    Major research universities spent more than $37 million on federal lobbying efforts in 2025 as the sector was beset by a flurry of policy changes during the first year of Donald Trump’s second term. That’s up significantly from 2024, when those same institutions spent $28.1 million.

    Fourth-quarter lobbying expenditures, which were reported by most universities earlier this week, show that spending dropped toward the end of the year after it peaked in the spring. While college presidents have been criticized for failing to push back publicly on Trump administration initiatives seen as damaging to higher education and/or the social fabric, lobbying numbers show that institutions have been heavily engaged behind the scenes.

    The Inside Higher Ed analysis of lobbying expenses focused primary on the Association of American Universities, which is made up of 71 research institutions in the U.S. and Canada. Throughout the last year, the representatives of these universities headed to Capitol Hill to fight for research funding and push back against plans in the sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed over the summer and ushered in a new era of higher ed accountability and student loan policy.

    AAU members spent the most in the second quarter of 2025 at $10.7 million, when talks over OBBBA were at their peak. In the other quarters, spending ranged from $7.9 million to just over $9 million. However, data for the fourth quarter of the year is an undercount, as not all universities complied with federal lobbying disclosure deadlines, which required them to submit reports on such activities and expenditures by Tuesday.

    Although the numbers only reflect spending by AAU members, the Inside Higher Ed review indicates research institutions were among the highest spenders last year. The one exception was the University of Phoenix, which is not part of AAU.

    In terms of total spending, the University of Phoenix racked up the highest lobbying costs, spending $480,000 in each quarter for a total of $1.9 million. Disclosure forms show Phoenix lobbied on OBBBA and student veteran benefits and engaged in “general discussions covering change of control, and related regulatory requirements.” (Phoenix filed for an initial public offering last year after a sale to the University of Idaho fell through amid skepticism from state lawmakers over acquiring the for-profit college.)

    Among AAU members, the University of Florida emerged as the top spender, a fact that went unnoticed last year because UF did not comply with federal lobbying disclosure deadlines and filed reports late for each quarter. For example, UF filed its Q1 report for 2025 on May 29, well past the April 20 deadline. UF officials posted Q4 results Thursday morning, two days after the deadline, and one day after Inside Higher Ed reached out to inquire about previously missed filing deadlines.

    UF officials did not respond to a request for comment.

    The top spenders engaged on a wide range of issues, according to details in lobbying disclosures. (The list does not include systems that lobby on behalf of individual members.)

    UF lobbying reports show the university engaged Congress on topics such as research funding, artificial intelligence, federal spending bills, student visas, international education programs, graduate student loans, the endowment excise tax and cybersecurity, among other issues.

    Most other universities that ranked in the top 10 lobbied on the same or related issues, often lobbying around specific legislation, such as OBBBA. A rare few, such as Johns Hopkins University, took on highly charged topics such as gender-affirming care and efforts to expand gun access.

    While some universities sustained a steady lobbying effort throughout the year, maintaining similar spending levels across each quarter, others made a strong push at the end of 2025, such as the University of Pennsylvania, which doubled spending.

    In a fourth-quarter push, most institutions focused on many of the same issues as they had in the earlier part of the year. However, in the last two quarters, especially Q4, some top spenders increased lobbying efforts around graduate medical education and nursing, back-room conversations that coincided with federal changes to that will cap federal loans for graduate and professional programs.

    Source link