Headlines in Higher Ed: Week of August 18th, 2025
DEI-ban banned, benefits of college for women, and Stanford’s legacy preference lingers on
Judge Blocks Trump, Ed Dept’s DEI Ban
A federal judge has struck down the Trump administration’s push to cut funding from schools and colleges with DEI programs. A February 14 letter by the Department of Education warned that race-conscious practices, like targeted scholarships or cultural programs, could violate federal law. But the latest ruling by Judge Stephanie Gallagher, a Trump appointee, argues that the agency skipped required steps and violated free speech and due process. The vagueness of the guidance left schools guessing what was “illegal DEI” and threatened teachers over what they could say in class. Ultimately, however, the judge refused to let the court take a stance on the policy itself, striking down the guidance for bypassing the formal lawmaking process.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher
The ruling followed lawsuits from teachers’ unions, scholars, and school districts who argued the policy would shut down honest conversations about race and limit support for students of color. While the Trump administration said it was simply enforcing civil rights law, Gallagher made it clear the guidance overreached. Still the fallout may already be too late. The letter was cited in launching investigations of over 50 colleges within one month of its issue, leading up to the current state of funding freezes. Educators called the decision a huge win for academic freedom. The Education Department says it's still committed to protecting students’ rights, despite the disappointing outcome.
Rapid Recap
👩🔬 NSF Ordered to Restore $81M to UCLA Research A federal judge ruled that the National Science Foundation’s decision to suspend UCLA’s grants in late July violated a previous court order that prevents the agency from such actions.
🥸 Rise of Fake College Websites Scammers are creating AI-generated college websites to convince unsuspecting victims into paying tuition.
📜👀 Trump Administration Eyes Harvard’s Patents Claiming the university breached legal requirements in federally funded research, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick is threatening a government takeover of certain patents.
👩🎓 College Paying Off for Women New research shows that women with college degrees are gaining serious ground in the workforce, especially when it comes to full-time work, job flexibility, and access to benefits. Go on…
College Paying Off for Women
Over the past 20 years, the percentage of college-educated women aged 25 to 44 working full time jumped by over 9 percentage points. They were more likely to have access to jobs that let them work remotely, take time off when needed, and stay in the workforce even when life gets busy. These advantages are one reason why going to college can open doors - not just to better pay, but to more control over your time and future. While every career path is different, this growing trend shows how higher education can be a powerful tool for long-term job security and work-life balance.
Stanford Rejects State Aid, Keeps Legacy Admissions
Stanford University will no longer accept state student aid so it can maintain its controversial practice of preferential admissions to applicants with family or donor connections. A recent California law had aimed to end legacy admissions at nonprofit schools by withholding state funds, but Stanford is sidestepping the rule by funding any loss in difference from its own resources. The legal workaround also allows the university to avoid compliance with new data-reporting requirements. Without any financial penalties, which were dropped from earlier versions of the bill, powerful and selective institutions can easily afford protecting advantages for wealthy or well-connected applicants. In a self-reported study by Stanford last year, 13.6% of incoming 2023 undergraduates had ties to alumni or donors.
What’s your Angle?
Refer a friend!
Thank you for reading Admissions Angle: Headlines in Higher Ed — your support allows us to keep doing this work.
If you enjoy Admissions Angle: Headlines in Higher Ed, consider inviting your friends to subscribe and read with us. If you refer friends, you will receive benefits that give you special access to Admissions Angle.
How to participate:
1. Share Admissions Angle: Headlines in Higher Ed. When you use the referral link below, or the “Share” button on any post, you'll get credit for any new subscribers. Simply send the link in a text, or email, or share it on social media with friends.
2. Earn benefits. When more friends use your referral link to subscribe (free or paid), you’ll receive special benefits.
Get a 1 month comp for 5 referrals
Get a 3 month comp for 10 referrals
Get a 6 month comp for 25 referrals
To learn more, check out Substack’s FAQ.
Thank you for helping get the word out about Admissions Angle!