Tag: Purpose

  • Purpose and Progress: Inside Today’s Healthcare Roles

    Purpose and Progress: Inside Today’s Healthcare Roles

    Our panel of experts shares how healthcare careers offer purpose, growth, and meaningful daily impact.

    Priya Parthasarathy, D.P.M.

    President, Maryland Podiatric Medical Association; Partner, US Foot & Ankle Specialists; National Spokesperson, American Podiatric Medical Association

    What makes a career in healthcare such a meaningful and rewarding path for today’s professionals?

    In podiatry, you get to literally help people move forward. There’s something so powerful about that. We take patients who are in pain or afraid they’ll lose their independence and give them back mobility and confidence. You see the difference right away. I love that our field blends medicine, surgery, and long-term patient relationships. Every day, I get to use my skills to make someone’s life better, and I walk away each day knowing I truly made an impact.

    As healthcare needs evolve and demand grows, why is it so important that we inspire more students and young professionals to pursue careers in this field?

    Foot and ankle health is connected to everything — mobility, diabetes, overall wellness — but it’s often underrepresented. I love showing students how diverse and dynamic this field is. You can perform surgery, focus on sports medicine, wound care, pediatrics, or public health. The possibilities are endless, and the need is growing. There’s so much opportunity to innovate, lead, and really shape the future of healthcare.

    How does working in healthcare allow you to make a tangible impact on people’s lives while continuing to grow and learn professionally?

    What I love about podiatry is that you get to see progress in real time. Someone comes in limping or unable to wear shoes comfortably, and weeks later, they’re walking pain-free or running again. That’s the immediate impact. The field never stops evolving, whether it’s regenerative medicine, new technology, or surgical innovation, so there’s always something new to learn. It keeps me motivated and constantly growing.

    What advice would you give to someone considering a future in healthcare about finding purpose and fulfillment in this work?

    Find your “why,” and hold on to it. The path isn’t always easy. There are long days and tough cases, but when you see a patient light up because they can walk without pain, it reminds you why you started. In podiatry, fulfillment comes from those everyday wins. Stay curious, lead with empathy, and don’t forget that what we do truly changes lives, one step at a time.

    Raymond K. Brown-Riley, B.S.N., RNC-NIC, NPT, NNIC

    NICU Assistant Director of Nursing and NICU Transport Coordinator, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

    What makes a career in healthcare such a meaningful and rewarding path for today’s professionals?

    A career in healthcare is especially meaningful because every day offers a chance to protect dignity, relieve suffering, and support recovery. During my time at Purdue’s School of Nursing, I learned to utilize evidence-based strategies, empathy, and teamwork. These are all skills I rely on as the assistant director of nursing in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at MedStar Georgetown today. Whether stabilizing a fragile, premature baby or supporting a worried family, the work is deeply human and very impactful. The reward — seeing progress and knowing our actions create safer beginnings and healthier futures — is priceless.

    As healthcare needs evolve and demand grows, why is it so important that we inspire more students and young professionals to pursue careers in this field?

    As the population ages, the need for prepared and compassionate nurses and healthcare providers keeps growing. Inspiring students to choose healthcare is not only about staffing; it is about building systems that are safer, more equitable, and innovative. Purdue taught me that evidence-based science and research, coupled with patient and family-centered care, is the formula for success. When more bright minds join nursing and allied fields, we are able to accelerate breakthroughs, improve access, and strengthen the health of communities. Developing new nurses and professionals today improves outcomes for communities tomorrow. It’s imperative that we continue to produce new graduates who have the tools to handle the challenges before them, the knowledge to avoid the mistakes of the past, and the wisdom to know the difference.

    How does working in healthcare allow you to make a tangible impact on people’s lives while continuing to grow and learn professionally?

    Healthcare offers a unique opportunity to provide an immediate impact while also having an opportunity for lifelong development. In the NICU and through our neonatal transport program, I see how timely decisions, clear communication, and skilled interventions can change the course of a family’s life every day. The field also requires that you’re committed to being a life-long learner, utilizing new guidelines, technologies, and quality improvement methods. My Purdue foundation in evidence-based practice and quality improvement prepared me to continually seek out growth opportunities, mentor others, and turn research into practice changes that make a real difference. Professional development is not just a responsible career practice; it’s a moral obligation to contribute to the advancement of the profession.

    What advice would you give to someone considering a future in healthcare about finding purpose and fulfillment in this work?

    I would tell anyone considering a future in healthcare to reflect on where their passions lie. The healthcare industry is broad and diverse, so it’s important to hone in on what fulfills you personally. Start by shadowing clinicians and asking questions about workload, emotional demands, scheduling, and opportunities for advancement. In a nursing program like Purdue’s, there is a strong emphasis on clinical excellence, interprofessional collaboration, and self-reflection. I was encouraged to expect more of myself and my future employer. It’s important to find a program that teaches not only clinical competence but also strategies to manage stress and grow professionally so your career is sustainable. Find mentors who challenge you and a specialty that matches your strengths and passions. It’s cliché, but true, that when you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.

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  • Purpose, strategy, and operations in that order – how to make a federation work

    Purpose, strategy, and operations in that order – how to make a federation work

    I’ve been doing some work with the University of London on the past, present, and future of university federations.

    I’ve looked at well over 60 kinds of different kinds of university partnerships, alliances, and coalitions, and the idea of a university federation avoids an easy definition. Crudely, it is a group of universities working together to achieve a shared goal but lots of kinds of partnerships would fall in and out of that definition. The University of London is the obvious example – it has seventeen independent members and it defines its mission as expanding access to higher education. Globally, the vast majority of other kinds of federated models do not work like this.

    Whose federation is it anyway?

    The University of Oxford describes its 36 colleges as operating within a “federal system” which are “independent and self-governing.” It seems odd to suggest a federation within an institution can exist (albeit the legal forms here complicate things) but federations are about the distribution of resources as much as regulatory structures.

    On this basis the University of the Arts London would also qualify as a kind of federation. The colleges maintain their own identity with their own expertise and reputation. Their work is framed about the idea of six colleges with one university. Similarly, the University of California has a single legal identity but with nine campuses. They are one institution with a single leadership but diverse enough to operate across different geographies, programmes, and sub-identities.

    There is perhaps then a difference between working in a federal way and being federated. This definition would encompass coalitions of universities working toward a single goal with some shared resources like The N8 research partnership. It would also include the University of the Arctic which is an almost entirely federal institution where its direction, governance, and activities, are directed by the shared agreement of its members.

    Scales

    Governance forms and organisational function are often but not always linked. The University of London’s membership has a formal governance responsibility to direct its activity while the University of London maintains its own strong central purpose and activities.  The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is potentially both more centralised and devolved than the University of London. Its degree awarding powers are centrally held by the university but delivery of programmes, in both FE and HE occurs over 70 learning centres. Additionally, the Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013 identifies UHI as a regional strategic body with responsibilities for planning, delivery, monitoring, and efficiency savings in further education across its operating area.

    At the slightly less federated end there is somewhere like the University Arts Singapore (UAS) which emerged as an alliance between LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). UAS has a vice chancellor, each member has its own president (who are the deputy vice chancellors of UAS), and they lean into both their shared capacity and individual identity. As they state:

    As an alliance, UAS has the unique advantage of leveraging the strengths of both our founding members, LASALLE and NAFA, while allowing each to remain distinct colleges. UAS will work in close collaboration with the two arts institutions to lead and provide strategic direction, and will validate, confer and award UAS degrees offered by both arts institutions.

    There are lots of other examples including Paris Sciences et Lettres University which is a single institution with eleven constituent schools (some of which are several hundred years old.) To the Canadian model where the likes of the University of Toronto hold three religious independent institutions within their group where they share resources and maintain their own identities.

    Models

    The strictest definition of federation involves a legal form – but there is much in-between. A federation may be a shared brand, an informal network, a federated project with individual or shared ownership, a national or regional mission with shared funds, shared infrastructure with formal governance relationships, a group of universities with a single degree awarder, a coalition of providers with a shared and funded purpose, or an entirely devolved body that only exists through dint of the activities of its members.

    If a federation has lots of different forms it by extension has a lot of different purposes. Ideally, the form of the federation should follow the agreed purpose if it is to be successful. The strategic vision has to be big enough to make the difficult compromises that come with working together make sense. Cost-saving is unlikely to be big enough to motivate all the pieces within a federated ecosystem but improving international standing, delivering better teaching, and funding research more effectively, supported by the efficient allocation of resources, might be.

    Across federations there is often legislation and regulation that enables the constituent organisations to work together. This was the case with UAS, UHI has a long history of partnerships, funding, and regulation, while there is underpinning legislation in France to encourage the geographic coordination of research assets. It is noticeable that while the OfS has welcomed the idea of closing working together by institutions there isn’t actually a legislative or regulatory underpinning to make that easier.

    Success

    If a federation has a clear purpose and an accommodating regulatory environment it may have a reasonable chance of success. This still isn’t enough to wish one into being because of the operational complexity that can underpin such arrangements. Strategically, this includes whether it is more efficient, effective, or clear, to have a single governance, quality, and approval regime, whether resources are best shared or kept local, and whether staff should be separate or together. Again, much of this depends on federal form but sharing infrastructure between institutions even within federations is not that common. The sharing of resources should be the second order concern after the purpose of doing so but the practicalities can be complex, expensive, and absorb much organisational attention.

    It is therefore difficult to define success but it is possible to improve the chances of federations being successful. Federations should begin with a clear purpose, then look at how the strategic sharing of assets can achieve that purpose, and then work to the practicalities of sharing those assets. A federation is about purpose, governance, finance, and brand, but it is also about creating an ecosystem where partners believe the shared negotiation of purpose, strategy, and execution, is more powerful than a single organisation doing this alone. A federation is about giving something up, whether that is some identities or some resources, in the shared belief the collective gain will outweigh any individual loss.

    If federations are to become more of a feature of the higher education landscape the largest challenges may not be structural but cultural. Recent reforms of higher education in England were largely about greater competition between providers. A federation is to acknowledge that agglomeration benefits may be achieved through cooperation, consolidation, and the strategic deprioritisation of some work where others may have greater expertise.

    The central plank of the government’s recent white paper is that the homogeneity of the sector is an impediment to the efficient allocation of resources. If it is serious about specialisation, particularly within specific geographies, it should open up more routes to federal structures and the strategic benefits they may bring.

    James Coe is chairing a panel on federations at The Festival of Higher Education with the University of London. Tickets can be purchased here.

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  • Planning with Purpose: Designing Certificate Programs That Align with Market and Mission

    Planning with Purpose: Designing Certificate Programs That Align with Market and Mission

    Higher education is seeing a surge of interest in non-degree credentials. Learners are seeking faster, more affordable pathways to workforce advancement. Employers are increasingly open to (and in some cases requesting) alternatives to traditional degrees. And with new federal policy expanding Pell Grant eligibility to non-degree programs, institutions are feeling the urgency to act.

    But not all certificate programs are created equal. And while the trend line is clear, the strategy behind how institutions respond is anything but. This moment presents an opportunity, but only for those willing to plan with purpose and set realistic expectations.

    What’s driving demand for short-term credentials?

    Recent data underscores a clear increase in interest:

    • Undergraduate certificate enrollment grew 33% and graduate certificate enrollment grew 21% from Fall 2020 to Fall 2024, according to National Student Clearinghouse data.
    • Google search volume for certificates has increased 19% from 2020 to 2025, according to Google Trends data.

    Today’s learners are drawn to programs that offer accelerated timelines, reduced costs, and clear pathways to meaningful career outcomes. Many working adults are looking to upskill or pivot careers, and a certificate can be a more practical option than a full degree.

    On the employer side, organizations want proof of skills and are increasingly willing to collaborate with institutions on curriculum design. In fact, according to a 2022 employer survey from Collegis and UPCEA, 68% of respondents said they would be interested in teaming up with an institution to develop non-degree credentials to benefit their workforce.

    Certificates are a piece of the puzzle — not the whole strategy

    Despite the interest, many institutions struggle to meet enrollment goals for certificate programs. Strong market trends do not automatically translate into high enrollment volume. The reality is that most certificates serve niche audiences and deliver modest numbers. When treated as stand-alone growth drivers, they often fall short.

    The institutions that see the most strategic value from certificates do so by positioning them within a larger enrollment and academic ecosystem. For example, we’ve helped our partner institutions find success in using certificate interest as a marketing funnel to drive engagement in related master’s programs. Once a prospective student engages, enrollment teams can advise them on the best fit for their career goals, which, for some students, is enrolling in the full degree program.

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    What a strategic certificate model looks like

    A certificate program with purpose isn’t just a set of courses — it’s a product with clear value to both learners and the institution. Key elements of a strategic approach include:

    1. Workforce alignment: Programs must be rooted in real-time labor market data. What skills are employers seeking? Which certifications are valued? Aligning with reputable industry certifications is a proven way to ensure relevance and employer recognition.
    2. Accessibility: Pricing should reflect the certificate’s value relative to degree programs, and eligibility for financial aid must be prioritized. Lack of aid is a significant barrier to enrollment for many prospective learners.
    3. Laddering and stackability: Certificates should not be terminal unless intentionally designed that way. They should stack into larger degree pathways or offer alumni incentives for continuing their education.
    4. Delivery speed and flexibility: Busy adult learners expect quick starts, clear outcomes, and minimal red tape. Institutions need streamlined onboarding and agile curriculum design.
    5. Internal collaboration: Designing certificates in isolation often leads to friction. Academic, enrollment, and marketing teams must be aligned on purpose, target audience, and outcomes.
    6. Employer engagement: Employers want to be part of the development process and seek assurance that certificate programs teach the skills they need. Their involvement enhances the recognition and credibility of the credential.

    The role of institutions: Balance mission with market

    Certificate programs are not a shortcut to growth. But they can be a smart strategic lever when grounded in data and designed to complement an institution’s broader mission. They offer colleges and universities an opportunity to:

    • Expand access to underserved learners
    • Respond more nimbly to labor market shifts
    • Strengthen ties with regional employers
    • Drive awareness and enrollment for degree programs

    The key is alignment. When certificate offerings reflect both market demand and institutional mission, they can play a powerful role in expanding reach and impact.

    Plan with purpose, execute with intent

    Certificates are more than just a trending credential. They’re a tool to serve learners in new ways. But institutions must resist the urge to chase quick wins. Success requires thoughtful design, realistic expectations, and cross-functional collaboration.

    With the right foundation, certificate programs can do more than fill a gap. They can open doors for learners, employers, and institutions alike. Collegis supports this effort with integrated services in market research, instructional design, and portfolio development — empowering institutions to make informed, mission-aligned decisions that deliver impact.

    Innovation Starts Here

    Higher ed is evolving — don’t get left behind. Explore how Collegis can help your institution thrive.

    Amber Arnseth oversees program and market research as a skilled problem-solver with an ability to integrate and contextualize data for partners into actionable recommendations. The research she and her team conduct help inform and strengthen our partners’ strategic portfolio and program decisions.

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  • Beyond the First Response: Prompting with Purpose in University Classrooms – Faculty Focus

    Beyond the First Response: Prompting with Purpose in University Classrooms – Faculty Focus

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  • Grading for Growth: Reconsidering Points, Purpose, and Proficiency – Faculty Focus

    Grading for Growth: Reconsidering Points, Purpose, and Proficiency – Faculty Focus

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  • From improvement to compliance – a significant shift in the purpose of the TEF

    From improvement to compliance – a significant shift in the purpose of the TEF

    The Teaching Excellence Framework has always had multiple aims.

    It was partly intended to rebalance institutional focus from research towards teaching and student experience. Jo Johnson, the minister who implemented it, saw it as a means of increasing undergraduate teaching resources in line with inflation.

    Dame Shirley Pearce prioritised enhancing quality in her excellent review of TEF implementation. And there have been other purposes of the TEF: a device to support regulatory interventions where quality fell below required thresholds, and as a resource for student choice.

    And none of this should ignore its enthusiastic adoption by student recruitment teams as a marketing tool.

    As former Chair and Deputy Chair of the TEF, we are perhaps more aware than most of these competing purposes, and more experienced in understanding how regulators, institutions and assessors have navigated the complexity of TEF implementation. The TEF has had its critics – something else we are keenly aware of – but it has had a marked impact.

    Its benchmarked indicator sets have driven a data-informed and strategic approach to institutional improvement. Its concern with disparities for underrepresented groups has raised the profile of equity in institutional education strategies. Its whole institution sweep has made institutions alert to the consequences of poorly targeted education strategies and prioritised improvement goals. Now, the publication of the OfS’s consultation paper on the future of the TEF is an opportunity to reflect on how the TEF is changing and what it means for the regulatory and quality framework in England.

    A shift in purpose

    The consultation proposes that the TEF becomes part of what the OfS sees as a more integrated quality system. All registered providers will face TEF assessments, with no exemptions for small providers. Given the number of new providers seeking OfS registration, it is likely that the number to be assessed will be considerably larger than the 227 institutions in the 2023 TEF.

    Partly because of the larger number of assessments to be undertaken, TEF will move to a rolling cycle, with a pool of assessors. Institutions will still be awarded three grades – one for outcomes, one for experience and one overall, but their overall grade will simply be the lower of the two other grades. The real impact of this will be on Bronze-rated providers who could find themselves subject to a range of measures, potentially including student number controls or fee constraints, until they show improvement.

    The OfS consultation paper marks a significant shift in the purpose of the TEF, from quality enhancement to regulation and from improvement to compliance. The most significant changes are at the lower end of assessed performance. The consultation paper makes sensible changes to aspects of the TEF which always posed challenges for assessors and regulators, tidying up the relationship between the threshold B3 standards and the lowest TEF grades. It correctly separates measures of institutional performance on continuation and completion – over which institutions have more direct influence – from progression to employment – over which institutions have less influence.

    Pressure points

    But it does this at some heavy costs. By treating the Bronze grade as a measure of performance at, rather than above, threshold quality, it will produce just two grades above the threshold. In shifting the focus towards quantitative indicators and away from institutional discussion of context, it will make TEF life more difficult for further education institutions and institutions in locations with challenging graduate labour markets. The replacement of the student submission with student focus groups may allow more depth on some issues, but comes at the expense of breadth, and the student voice is, disappointingly, weakened.

    There are further losses as the regulatory purpose is embedded. The most significant is the move away from educational gain, and this is a real loss: following TEF 2023, almost all institutions were developing their approaches to and evaluation of educational gain, and we have seen many examples where this was shaping fruitful approaches to articulating institutional goals and the way they shape educational provision.

    Educational gain is an area in which institutions were increasingly thinking about distinctiveness and how it informs student experience. It is a real loss to see it go, and it will weaken the power of many education strategies. It is almost certainly the case that the ideas of educational gain and distinctiveness are going to be required for confident performance at the highest levels of achievement, but it is a real pity that it is less explicit. Educational gain can drive distinctiveness, and distinctiveness can drive quality.

    Two sorts of institutions will face the most significant challenges. The first, obviously, are providers rated Bronze in 2023, or Silver-rated providers whose indicators are on a downward trajectory. Eleven universities were given a Bronze rating overall in the last TEF exercise – and 21 received Bronze either for the student experience or student outcomes aspects. Of the 21, only three Bronzes were for student outcomes, but under the OfS plans, all would be graded Bronze, since any institution would be given its lowest aspect grade as its overall grade. Under the proposals, Bronze-graded institutions will need to address concerns rapidly to mitigate impacts on growth plans, funding, prestige and competitive position.

    The second group facing significant challenges will be those in difficult local and regional labour markets. Of the 18 institutions with Bronze in one of the two aspects of TEF 2023, only three were graded bronze for student outcomes, whereas 15 were for student experience. Arguably this was to be expected when only two of the six features of student outcomes had associated indicators: continuation/completion and progression.

    In other words, if indicators were substantially below benchmark, there were opportunities to show how outcomes were supported and educational gain was developed. Under the new proposals, the approach to assessing student outcomes is largely, if not exclusively, indicator-based, for continuation and completion. The approach is likely to reinforce differences between institutions, and especially those with intakes from underrepresented populations.

    The stakes

    The new TEF will play out in different ways in different parts of the sector. The regulatory focus will increase pressure on some institutions, whilst appearing to relieve it in others. For those institutions operating at 2023 Bronze levels or where 2023 Silver performance is declining, the negative consequences of a poor performance in the new TEF, which may include student number controls, will loom large in institutional strategy. The stakes are now higher for these institutions.

    On the other hand, institutions whose graduate employment and earnings outcomes are strong, are likely to feel more relieved, though careful reading of the grade specifications for higher performance suggests that there is work to be done on education strategies in even the best-performing 2023 institutions.

    In public policy, lifting the floor – by addressing regulatory compliance – and raising the ceiling – by promoting improvement – at the same time is always difficult, but the OfS consultation seems to have landed decisively on the side of compliance rather than improvement.

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  • How Jennifer Stone Finds Purpose and Calm in Nursing

    How Jennifer Stone Finds Purpose and Calm in Nursing

    Jennifer Stone | Photos by Leah Huebner

    Actress and ER nurse Jennifer Stone shares how small acts of care, teamwork, and personal routines help nurses stay grounded and effective.

    Can you share a moment from your career that reminded you why you chose nursing?

    I had a doctor once tell me, “If you can really touch one person a shift, it’s been very successful, and that’s a good shift.” As a nurse, you’re always rushing around; it’s very fast-paced, especially in the ER, so it’s about the moments of stillness with somebody who just needs comfort or somebody to care for them. Whether it’s an older person who doesn’t have anybody and just wants to talk, or if it’s somebody who’s really scared, you can just try to make time, stop a little, and be like, “Hey, you’re okay. You’re in the best possible place, and we’ve got you.” It’s those moments of being a sense of certainty for someone in a time of uncertainty that remind me why I do what I do.

    What’s one piece of technology or equipment that’s made your work as a nurse more efficient or effective?

    That’s a great question. A great piece of technology that has made nursing more effective is, I hate to say, the PureWick. We have a lot of non-ambulatory patients, so the PureWick, a condom catheter, helps patients stay more comfortable without using something like a bedpan, which can feel kind of demeaning or uncomfortable or cause bedsores. Also, things like ultrasound machines for hard-stick IVs. Those are game changers. Also, updated charting systems. Having good shorthand to be able to chart efficiently and get back to one-on-one patient care is great.

    Has there been a time when strong communication, with either a patient or teammate, made a big difference in your day?

    I didn’t anticipate that there would be so many parallels between acting and nursing, but one of my favorite things about both is the collaboration.

    Whenever I have a nurse that’s in my team — whether they jump in when I’m stuck in another room with a patient or I do the same for them — it’s that shorthand of seeing that a nurse has a need and collaborating. We’re all on the same team. We’re all trying to accomplish the same thing — better patient outcomes. When I have a nurse who, without me even asking, will jump in and help me with the patient, that makes me feel like we’re all collaborating on this together for a common goal. That’s something that just means the world to me — when nurses will help each other out.

    What advice would you give to a nurse who’s feeling overwhelmed or underappreciated right now?

    Focus on what you can control. I’ll be very honest. For me, I know sometimes, especially in the earlier years, I would get very angry at things that were very out of my control. Whether it was issues with the healthcare system, or the way the system was set up and falling short, I would find myself getting very angry and discouraged. What’s helped me is to focus on the things that I can control. Yes, they may be on a smaller scale, but I can control how I respond to negativity at work or positivity at work. I can control how I talk to patients. I can control what I let in and what I don’t. Especially in an ER environment, or any healthcare bedside environment, there can be a lot of negativity, unfortunately, and it’s within your control what you let in.

    I’ll be honest: Some days I win, and some days I lose and allow things in, for sure. There are shifts I ended where I was like, “Alright, this shift beat me.” But I try to make it so I am in control of how I respond to the healthcare industry, and to know that it’s all a choice. Although some days it’s harder than others.

    What daily habits or small routines help you stay grounded and feel good during long or stressful shifts?

    Getting outside, to be honest. Time stands still when you’re on a 12-hour shift, so I carve out time if I can — and not every shift allows for it — but when I can, I carve out time to just get outside, get some vitamin D, and look at some nature. It’s something to remind you that the entire world isn’t those fluorescent lights. It’s just sort of reconnecting with life outside of the hospital.

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  • Trump Administration Proposes Restricting Public Service Loan Forgiveness for Organizations with ‘Illegal Purpose’

    Trump Administration Proposes Restricting Public Service Loan Forgiveness for Organizations with ‘Illegal Purpose’

    The Trump administration on Friday released a proposed rule that would exclude organizations deemed to have a “substantial illegal purpose” from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, a move that could disqualify thousands of borrowers working for advocacy and legal aid organizations from having their student debt canceled.

    The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published in the Federal Register and scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, follows President Trump’s March executive order directing the Department of Education to revise PSLF eligibility criteria. The proposed changes would give the Secretary of Education broad authority to determine which employers qualify for the program that has provided loan forgiveness to more than one million public servants.

    Under the proposed rule, organizations could lose PSLF eligibility for activities including “aiding or abetting violations of Federal immigration laws,” “engaging in a pattern of aiding and abetting illegal discrimination,” or “engaging in violence for the purpose of obstructing or influencing Federal Government policy.” The Department would use a “preponderance of evidence” standard to make determinations, and employers found ineligible would face a 10-year waiting period before they could regain qualifying status.

    The rule specifically targets several types of activities the administration considers problematic, including providing certain medical treatments to transgender minors, assisting with immigration cases, and various forms of protest activity that result in state law violations such as trespassing or disorderly conduct.

    Kristin McGuire, President and CEO of Young Invincibles, characterized the proposal as “continuing its attacks on education, deliberately targeting advocacy organizations whose work doesn’t align with its ideological agenda.”

    “By using a distorted and overly broad definition of ‘illegal activities,’ the Trump administration is exploiting the student loan system to attack political opponents,” McGuire said. “This is an illegal move by the administration; eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is defined by law, not political ideology.”

    The proposed rule emerged from a contentious negotiated rulemaking process that concluded in July without consensus. According to the Department’s documentation, the negotiator representing civil rights organizations dissented from the draft regulations, preventing the committee from reaching agreement.

    The Department of Education estimates the rule would result in budget savings of $1.537 billion over 10 years by reducing the number of borrowers who achieve loan forgiveness. Administrative documents suggest the changes could affect borrowers in multiple sectors, including legal services, healthcare, social work, and education.

    Organizations operating under shared federal tax identification numbers could see entire agencies lose eligibility if one component is found to engage in disqualifying activities. The rule includes provisions allowing the Secretary to separate organizations under shared identifiers, but grants ultimate authority to the Department to make such determinations.

    The proposed rule draws heavily on the Internal Revenue Service’s “illegality doctrine,” which denies tax-exempt status to organizations with substantial illegal purposes. The Department argues this approach ensures consistency across federal agencies and prevents taxpayer funds from subsidizing activities the government aims to prevent.

    Employers would be required to certify on PSLF application forms that they do not engage in activities with substantial illegal purpose. Those who fail to provide such certification would immediately lose qualifying status.

    The rule includes safeguards requiring notice and opportunity to respond before final determinations, and allows employers to maintain eligibility if they submit approved corrective action plans before losing qualification.

    According to the Department’s regulatory impact analysis, implementation would cost between $1.5 million and $3 million annually during the first two years. The analysis acknowledges that compliance costs for employers would vary significantly, with larger organizations potentially facing higher expenses for legal consultation and operational adjustments.

    The Department projects reduced confusion among borrowers due to clearer eligibility criteria, though it acknowledges potential disruptions during the transition period. The analysis notes that borrowers working for disqualified employers would need to find new positions with qualifying organizations to continue progress toward loan forgiveness.

    The proposed rule will undergo a 30-day public comment period following publication in the Federal Register on August 18. The Department must review all submitted comments before issuing a final rule.

    If implemented as proposed, the new eligibility requirements would apply only to activities occurring on or after July 1, 2026. Borrowers whose employers lose qualifying status would receive notification from the Department and would no longer earn qualifying payment credit while employed by those organizations.

    The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, established in 2007, allows borrowers to have remaining federal student loan balances canceled after making 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for eligible government agencies or qualified nonprofit organizations. The program has faced criticism and administrative challenges since its inception, with many borrowers initially denied forgiveness due to complex eligibility requirements.

    Young Invincibles and other advocacy organizations indicated they plan to submit detailed comments opposing the rule and may pursue legal challenges if the final version proceeds as proposed.

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  • Gen Z craves purpose. Universities must catch up – Campus Review

    Gen Z craves purpose. Universities must catch up – Campus Review

    Speak to young university students today and a picture emerges of deep concern for justice, hunger for real-world connection, and an urgent desire to belong to something bigger than themselves.

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  • Designed with purpose: Why campus restrooms should reflect the school behind them

    Designed with purpose: Why campus restrooms should reflect the school behind them

    Restrooms don’t have to be showpieces — but they also shouldn’t be an afterthought.

    Across campuses, every space tells a story. The student center. The admissions office. The lecture hall. Each one reflects the institution’s priorities, personality and pride. But too often, the restroom is left out of that story — treated as a utility rather than a touchpoint.

    That’s starting to change.

    Forward-thinking colleges and universities are reimagining what restrooms can contribute to the campus experience. Whether they blend quietly into the background or become a branded statement — they’re being designed with intention.

    To reinforce school spirit. To align with campus standards. To simplify operations across varied facilities. And most of all, to support a seamless experience for students, staff and guests.

    Because the restroom may not be the centerpiece of campus life — but it still reflects the care behind it.

    A Daily Experience That Deserves Design

    Restrooms are among the most frequently visited and most visibly judged spaces on campus by prospective students, visiting families, faculty, alumni, donors and staff. Their condition, look and functionality can either reinforce the university’s values…or quietly undermine them.

    In fact, nearly 60% of people say a poorly maintained restroom negatively affects their perception of an organization.¹ And while universities don’t compete on toilet paper, they do compete on experience, reputation and pride.

    That makes restrooms more than a maintenance checklist — they’re part of the brand.

    One Standard. Many Spaces.

    From dorms to arenas to academic halls, no two campus buildings are exactly alike. But consistency still matters for both the brand and the teams behind it.

    A welcome center might feature subtle brand cues or custom faceplates. A student union might highlight school spirit or student accomplishments. An admin wing may favor quieter design that blends in. The point isn’t sameness; it’s cohesion.

    So how do universities achieve that without adding complexity?

    They’re working from a flexible foundation — systems that adapt to each building’s needs while maintaining a cohesive experience across campus.

    That might mean:

    • High-capacity towel systems in athletic centers to reduce servicing during peak hours
    • Touchless, ADA-compliant dispensers in classrooms and libraries to support accessibility
    • Customizable faceplates in front-facing spaces to reflect branding or student life
    • Smart technology that tracks supply levels and helps janitorial staff focus where it’s needed most

    By choosing tools that support both visual customization and operational ease, campuses are creating restrooms that feel thoughtful, consistent and easy to maintain — no matter the setting.

    It’s not one-size-fits-all. It’s one strategy applied intentionally.

    Built to Work — and Work Hard

    Restrooms can look great — but if they’re hard to service, the system breaks down fast. On a busy campus with lean facility teams, every efficiency matters.

    Elevated doesn’t mean complex. In fact, the best elevated solutions simplify operations with:

    • Refill systems designed to reduce changeouts and user error
    • Configurations that match space and capacity without overloading custodial teams
    • Smart restroom monitoring that helps direct staff where they’re needed most
    • Soft-close and touchless features that create quieter, more seamless experiences

    The result: less downtime, fewer complaints, smoother campus operations. And all of it happening behind the scenes — just as it should.

    A restroom shouldn’t steal the spotlight. But it should reflect your standards.

    Whether you’re reimagining a flagship student space or refreshing legacy buildings, intentional restroom design can help bring your brand and your operations into better alignment — and create a more consistent experience, one space at a time. 

    Because small details send big signals — to students, staff and everyone who walks your halls.

    Explore what elevated could look like for your campus.

    Sources:

    1Bradley Corporation. (2023, February 28). Bradley survey illustrates why clean restrooms are good for business. https://www.bradleycorp.com/news/bradley-survey-illustrates-why-clean-restrooms-are-good-for-business

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