Headlines in Higher Ed: Week of June 23rd, 2025
Elite colleges experimenting new funding strategies, court showdowns, and the latest global rankings
Uncharted Paths: How Ivies are Rewriting Rules on Funding
In response to federal funding uncertainties, Yale University is selling off a large portion of its investment portfolio in a major shift in how it manages its $41 billion endowment. Seeking to offload up to $6 billion of investments, the school has reportedly struck a deal for $3 billion of holdings in private equity firms, companies that buy and invest in startups and struggling companies to fund growth or turnaround plans. Once known for pioneering the reallocation of funds from traditional assets into private equity and venture capital firms, Yale’s strategy was paying off until last year when it earned just 5.7% in returns. In comparison, each of the ten years prior averaged 9.5%. About half of Yale’s endowment is tied up in private equity, but with those firms struggling to return cash to investors, Yale is reversing course for the first time in 40-years. Several other universities are seeking similar exits.
Andrea Baccarelli, Dean of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Conversely, Harvard is opening up ties with private equity to help replace federal funding cuts. A firm based in Turkey, İş Private Equity, has committed $39 million in a recent deal with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, specifically on a research study by Professor Gökhan S Hotamışlıgil which had lost funding under the Trump administration. The partnership will help efforts in developing new treatments for diseases linked to aging and obesity. In looking to diversify sources of revenue, both Harvard and Yale are creatively navigating uncharted waters, and perhaps setting new trends amongst higher education institutions, even if the two paths seem contradictory.
Rapid Recap
🎯 DOJ Targets Kentucky’s In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced the new lawsuit, mirroring the department’s strategy which successfully repealed a similar policy in Texas earlier this month.
💻 CS and IT Degrees Boom But Job Market Mixed A study by Validated Insights reveals sustained growth in computer science and IT degree programs, especially in fields like data science and AI, but recent declines in entry-level hiring raise concerns about outcomes.
⏪ Education Department Admits Some Cuts Broke Law Twenty of the 101 contracts axed by DOGE have been voluntarily restored after determining the cuts would violate congressional mandates.
👨🏻⚖️ This Week in Higher Ed Court Showdowns Last week’s whirlwind of court rulings in the ongoing tug-of-war between higher education and the Trump administration delivered mixed outcomes. Go on…
Headlines in Higher Ed Court Showdowns
Here’s a quick rundown of the latest developments:
Harvard secured a temporary injunction, blocking efforts to restrict international student enrollment.
On Friday, a federal judge ordered the release of detained Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, who was freed hours later.
The same federal judge who ruled in favor of reinstating Education Department employees last month has once again ordered their restoration of jobs in a separate case.
A court has ordered the restoration of canceled NIH grants, which have so far removed an estimated $3.8 billion from research funding nationwide.
A federal judge declined to block staff and funding cuts to the Institute of Education Services, despite acknowledging such cuts would harm the agency’s legal obligations.
Faculty unions, challenging a freeze on $400 million of Columbia University grants, had their case dismissed when it was ruled that only the university itself had the ability to sue.
U.S. News Unveils 2025 Global University Rankings
The latest U.S. News & World Report global university rankings have just been released, offering an updated look at top-performing institutions around the world. Based largely on research output and reputation, metrics include academic publications and global impact. While the methodology’s emphasis on research is better suited for graduate students, prospective undergrads can still use it as a comparative tool in exploring international enrollment or study abroad programs. With many overseas universities often unfamiliar to American applicants, the list serves as a data-driven resource to evaluate academic quality beyond borders. How do your target schools stack up on the global stage?
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