Headlines in Higher Ed: Week of August 25th, 2025
Texas messes with faculty councils, fin aid delays, and recapping Common App’s final 2024-25 report
Texas Systems Decide on Fates of Faculty Senates
In response to a new Texas higher education law, university systems across the state are dissolving their traditional faculty senates, while some are creating new advisory groups with limited authority. Most recently, the University of Texas System now joins Texas A&M and the University of Houston to replace their long-standing faculty senates with advisory councils, where the administration retains final decision-making power. These groups will assist with tasks like curricular changes but won't have true influence over academic policies - reduced to offering advice rather than actively governing. Under the law, faculty groups cannot exceed 60 members, with the president appointing a significant portion of them. Strict term limits further deter any organizational influence, at the cost of continuity, as less experienced faculty gradually replace seasoned members.
Joseph Velasco, professor at Sul Ross State University
Some faculty worry that these changes could weaken academic governance and create more control for university administrations. The law allows university administrators to remove faculty senate members for vague reasons like "misconduct.” Additionally, universities could easily manipulate these powerless groups to create the appearance of faculty support. Other critics worry how a 60-member advisory group can possibly represent large systems like Texas A&M with its 4,300 faculty members. Some schools like the University of North Texas are still working to maintain strong staff representation in full compliance of the law while others, like the Texas State University System, allowed their senate to dissolve entirely.
Rapid Recap
🔔🏃♀️ Late Admissions: Colleges Rely on Waitlist in Scramble to Fill Spots Amid a drop in international enrollment and funding uncertainty, some elite schools like Stanford, Duke, Harvard, and Columbia have turned to waitlists later than usual this year to ensure a full class.
👨⚖️ Supreme Court Backs NIH Grant Cuts on Technicality Halting a lower court’s order to restore $783 million in research funding on grounds that it lacked jurisdiction, the U.S. Supreme Court directed plaintiffs to seek reinstatement through a different legal venue.
📈 Record Enrollment Numbers for Several Universities Major universities, including Oklahoma State, University of Tennessee, and Arizona State, are reporting record enrollments this fall, as institutions strive to counter the looming demographic cliff.
💸🕒 New Surveys Point to More Fin Aid Delays A recent survey highlights growing concerns over disruptions in financial aid services following the Department of Education’s mass layoffs this year. Go on…
New Surveys Point to More Fin Aid Delays
According to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), as a result of the staff halving in March, 72% of financial aid administrators reported significant delays in communication, processing, and responsiveness from the Federal Student Aid (FSA) office, up from 59% just two months prior. The disruptions, including problems with call centers and FAFSA processing, are making it harder for colleges to support students, but the Department of Education denies the survey’s findings, claiming the layoffs did not impact FSA operations. NASFAA insists that these delays are causing real problems for students, many of whom are already facing confusion and delays in getting their aid processed. While the status of ex-staffers involved in financial aid are unclear, the Department of Education confirmed that employees from its Office for Civil Rights who were recently laid off will return to work next month as required in a June court ruling.
Common App Releases End-of-Season Report
The Common App's final report for the 2024-25 admissions cycle reveals significant shifts in the college application process. For the first time, total applications surpassed 10 million, driven by a 5% increase in new applicants compared to last year and a 2% rise in the number of applications per student, from 6.6 to 6.8 colleges. Historically underrepresented groups saw strong growth, with Hispanic and Black or African American applicants increasing by 15% and 12%, respectively, while first-generation and low-income applicants also surged. Public universities experienced a 13% jump in applications, outpacing the 3% growth at private institutions. Geographic trends are also shifting, with applicants from Texas up 43% and, for the first time in years, domestic applicant growth surpassed international, which actually declined 1% due to ongoing hardline policies against foreign students. Lastly, after years of decline, the number of students submitting test scores rose by 12%, signaling a shift in attitudes toward standardized testing.
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