Worldwide: Education

The U.S. Department of Education has proposed sweeping changes to the higher education accreditation system that would eliminate regional versus national accreditor distinctions, allow institutions to hold multiple accreditations, and shift evaluation standards toward measurable student outcomes rather than process compliance. The proposed rule would also mandate new protections for academic freedom and intellectual diversity while prohibiting accreditation standards that encourage violations of federal ant

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a National Call to Action requesting institutions of higher education to publicly address seven broad questions reflecting the Administration's higher education priorities, including transparency in admissions, free speech protections, intellectual pluralism, affordability, academic rigor in the age of AI, research integrity, and alignment with American interests.

The IRS has launched its new Information Return Intake System (IRIS), replacing the legacy FIRE platform and mandating electronic filing for all information returns starting in 2027. Higher education institutions must navigate new registration requirements, transmitter control codes, and filing modalities based on volume, with the transition affecting multiple departments and third-party vendors.

The Iowa Supreme Court's landmark decision in In re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship addresses whether universities can modify race-based donor-restricted scholarships in response to changing legal landscapes following Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The case examines the tension between institutional risk management and honoring donor intent when scholarship criteria include protected characteristics like race or gender. This ruling establishes important precedent for how educational institutions must b

The Iowa Supreme Court's landmark decision in In re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship addresses whether universities can modify race-based donor-restricted scholarships in response to changing legal landscapes following Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The Court ruled that while institutions may seek modifications when restrictions become impracticable, any changes must remain faithful to the donor's original charitable intent rather than simply serving institutional compliance goals. This precedent-settin

State legislatures and federal agencies are showing a strong interest in defining and regulating ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), although no uniform definition has emerged. While federal agencies consider whether and how to develop a science-based definition of “ultraprocessed,” states are enacting legislation that directly regulates UPFs or ingredients commonly associated with UPFs.

The NCAA Division I Cabinet has fundamentally restructured college athletics eligibility by replacing decades-old season-of-competition rules with a streamlined age-based model. This sweeping change eliminates sport-specific restrictions and the waiver process while granting student-athletes five years of competition based on enrollment timing. However, the new framework faces immediate legal challenges from athletes who claim the transition rules create arbitrary distinctions among members of the same high

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court held in West Virgina v. B.P.J. that transgender female athletes do not have the right under Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution to participate...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued guidance warning colleges and universities about potential Fair Housing Act violations related to student housing practices. What constitutes unlawful segregation or discrimination in campus residential programs, and how might seemingly inclusive identity-focused housing initiatives face heightened federal scrutiny?