dotEDU: Higher Education Policy Explained
Each episode of dotEDU presents a deep dive into a major public policy issue impacting college campuses and students across the country. Hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Jon Fansmith, and Sarah Spreitzer lead you through thought-provoking conversations on topics such as Department of Education policy, college costs and affordability, and more.
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What Will It Take to Rebuild Trust in Higher Education?
05/13/2026
What Will It Take to Rebuild Trust in Higher Education?
Yale University’s Committee on Trust in Higher Education spent a year examining the forces behind declining public confidence in colleges and universities and came back with 20 recommendations for how institutions can respond. Julia Adams, cochair of the committee, walks us through the findings and what they might mean for campuses nationwide. Here are links to the the report and the policy issues the hosts discuss: Report of the Yale Committee on Trust in Higher Education (PDF) https://president.yale.edu/sites/default/files/2026-04/Report-of-the-Committee-on-Trust-in-Higher-Education.pdf Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/01/2026-08556/reimagining-and-improving-student-education-federal-student-loan-program-final-regulations The Rule That’s Blocking the Next Generation of Health Care Workers Higher Education Today | May 12, 2026 https://www.higheredtoday.org/2026/05/11/the-rule-thats-blocking-healthcare-workers/ Education Department’s Final Rule on Financial Aid Locks in Restrictive Graduate Loan Limits https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/ED-Final-Rule-Locks-in-Restrictive-Grad-Loan-Limits-.aspx Contact Congress: Help Students Access Professional Degree Programs https://www.votervoice.net/ACENET/Campaigns/132758/Respond Justice Denied: How Trump's Office for Civil Rights Reached a 12-Year Low in Protecting Students from Discrimination https://www.sanders.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/04.24.26-Justice-Denied-How-Trumps-Office-for-Civil-Rights-Reached-a-12-Year-Low-in-Protecting-Students-from-Discrimination_FINAL.pdf Court blocks Education Department’s data demands for over 170 more colleges Higher Ed Dive | April 27, 2026 https://www.highereddive.com/news/education-department-acts-survey-preliminary-injunction/818620/
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Continuing the College Access Conversation
04/22/2026
Continuing the College Access Conversation
The landscape for federal TRIO programs has shifted dramatically since we talked about it in January. The Department of Education (ED) has issued new grant proposals that would cut the number of programs by more than half and fundamentally redirect TRIO away from its mission of college access. We welcomed back Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education, to walk us through what’s at stake for these programs and the students they serve. The hosts also give the latest updates on ED's negotiated rulemaking. Links: U.S. Department of Education Issues Proposed Rule to Hold Colleges and Universities Accountable for Low Earning Outcomes https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-issues-proposed-rule-hold-colleges-and-universities-accountable-low-earning-outcomes ED Pushes Ahead on Accreditation Overhaul Despite Negotiator Pushback https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/ED-Pushes-Ahead-on-Accreditation-Overhaul.aspx Accreditation discussion draft https://www.ed.gov/media/document/2026-negotiated-rulemaking-aim-aim-draft-regulations-version-11-updated-04172026-113722.pdf Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures Federal Register | April 15, 2026 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/15/2026-07304/agency-information-collection-activities-comment-request-foreign-gifts-and-contracts-disclosures What drove Hampshire College to shutter, despite raising $55 million The Christian Science Monitor | April 18, 2026 https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2026/0418/hampshire-college-closure-endowment Council for Opportunity in Education and TRIO Programs https://coenet.org/coe-and-trio-programs/ COE Trio Advocacy https://coenet.org/take-action-now/ The Council for Opportunity in Education Condemns Latest TRIO Grant Proposal, Calls It “Direct Assault on College Access” https://coenet.org/news-impact/press-release/the-council-for-opportunity-in-education-condemns-latest-trio-grant-proposal-calls-it-direct-assault-on-college-access/ COE Blasts Latest Federal Proposal for TRIO, Calls for Immediate Rescission https://coenet.org/news-impact/press-release/coe-blasts-latest-federal-proposal-for-trio-calls-for-immediate-rescission/ COE Rejects Proposal to Eliminate Federal TRIO Programs in FY 2027 Budget Council for Opportunity in Education | https://coenet.org/news-impact/press-release/coe-rejects-proposal-to-eliminate-federal-trio-programs-in-fy-2027-budget/
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Student Voting Is Getting Harder. Now What?
04/08/2026
Student Voting Is Getting Harder. Now What?
Colleges have spent years building systems to help students vote. Now a mix of federal guidance, investigations, and state-level changes is putting new pressure on that work. ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough joins us to explain where the legal lines are and where uncertainty is creating risk. But first, the hosts discuss the recent higher education policy developments from the past few weeks, from the Trump administration's FY 2027 budget proposal to the Education Department's draft rule on accreditation.
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Workforce Pell, Professional Degrees, and a Complicated Spring in Washington
03/20/2026
Workforce Pell, Professional Degrees, and a Complicated Spring in Washington
The hosts are joined by ACE’s Emmanual Guillory to break down key federal rulemaking shaping student aid. The conversation focuses on the latest developments in graduate loan limits, new rules for Workforce Pell and what it will take for institutions to participate, and the Department of Education’s expanded IPEDS data collection.
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dotEDU Live at ACEx2026
03/09/2026
dotEDU Live at ACEx2026
At ACEx2026 in Washington, DC, the dotEDU team recorded a special live episode during a session at the ACE Annual Meeting. Instead of the usual format, hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Sarah Spreitzer, and Jon Fansmith took turns posing questions to each other about the direction of federal higher education policy in 2026: how it may differ from the first year of President Trump’s second term, what the year’s major policy stories could be, where their lobbying efforts have and have not gained traction, and how to advocate effectively for colleges and universities in a contentious environment. The episode concludes with questions from the audience.
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A Funding Deal, the Pell Shortfall, and New Federal Pressure on Campuses
02/19/2026
A Funding Deal, the Pell Shortfall, and New Federal Pressure on Campuses
The hosts run a rapid-fire policy lightning round on the biggest higher ed issues right now, from federal funding and a looming Pell shortfall to new graduate loan limits. They also dig into two fast-moving flashpoints: the Education Department’s scrutiny of a long-running student voting study and the administration’s escalating actions aimed at Harvard, including potential impacts on service members’ education benefits. Plus, an update on Sarah's favorite topic, Section 117 foreign gift reporting. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Appropriations Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 12, 2026 Tufts/NSLVE Department of Education | Feb. 5. 2026 Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 5, 2026 Brennan Center for Justice | Feb. 9, 2026 Harvard v. Trump The New York Times | Feb. 13, 2026 Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 10, 2026 Grad Loan Limits Federal Register | Jan. 30, 2026 ACE **** Accreditation Department of Education | Jan. 26, 2026 Department of Education | Feb. 13, 2026 Section 117 Department of Education Department of Education | Feb. 11, 2026
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What the Headlines Miss About Higher Ed: A Conversation with Kirk Carapezza
02/13/2026
What the Headlines Miss About Higher Ed: A Conversation with Kirk Carapezza
The national conversation about higher education shifted dramatically in 2025. In this episode recorded in Boston in December, Jon Fansmith and Mushtaq Gunja talk with GBH News correspondent Kirk Carapezza about the reporting landscape and the pressures facing colleges beyond the headlines. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: GBH | Dec. 2, 2025 GBH | Oct. 29, 2025 GBH | Sept. 24, 2025 On Campus | Aug. 3, 2016
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What the Future Holds for Federal TRIO Programs
01/29/2026
What the Future Holds for Federal TRIO Programs
Questions about the future of federal TRIO programs—academic and support services for low-income, first-generation, and disabled students—come up more than almost any other topic on the podcast. We're joined this week by Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education, for a conversation about where TRIO stands and what may be ahead. We begin with some speculation on whether or not we're heading toward a partial government shutdown, and the latest on the Department of Education's moves on accreditation. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: (PDF) Appropriations ACE | Jan. 26, 2026 ACE | Oct. 1, 2025 ACE | Oct. 3, 2025 Legal Updates Inside Higher Ed | Jan. 22, 2026 ACE | Jan. 21, 2026 Accreditation Department of Education | Jan. 26, 2026 Inside Higher Ed | Jan. 27, 2026 ACE | Jan. 26, 2026 Republic Report (December 2025) TRIO Inside Higher Ed | Jan . 20, 2026 Inside Higher Ed | Oct. 27, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Sept. 12 2025
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What Counts as a Professional Degree in 2026?
01/16/2026
What Counts as a Professional Degree in 2026?
Valerie Fuller, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, visited the podcast to talk about how new federal loan limits will change what graduate students can borrow and why nursing may no longer be considered a professional degree. The hosts also looked at the appropriations outlook on Capitol Hill, negotiations on rulemaking to implement the One Big Beautiful Bill, and more. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Graduate Loan Limits Nov. 21, 2025 NAICU Washington Update | Dec. 19, 2025 Gallup | Jan. 12, 2026 Constitutionality of Race-Based Higher Education Grant Programs Negotiated Rulemaking Department of Education ACE | Jan. 12, 2026 Inside Higher Ed | Jan. 9, 2026 ACE | Dec. 15, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Dec. 15, 2026
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The dotEDU Wrap Party for Policy Nerds
12/18/2025
The dotEDU Wrap Party for Policy Nerds
In this final episode of 2025, hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Sarah Spreitzer, and Jon Fansmith spend the hour taking questions on the policy shifts and challenges campuses are watching most closely and the developments expected to matter early in 2026. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Lucy Dacus and Hozier, Jason Isbell, (Netflix)
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2025 in Review: A Year That Redefined the Higher Ed Landscape
12/04/2025
2025 in Review: A Year That Redefined the Higher Ed Landscape
The dotEDU hosts look back at a year that reshaped higher education in ways few expected back in January. Mushtaq, Sarah, and Jon talk through their top five stories of 2025, including the push to dismantle the Department of Education, the cuts at NIH and NSF, the sweeping changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill, and Congress’s response to it all. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Feb. 25-28, 2026, in Washington, DC of the 2nd Trump administration from The Chronicle of Higher Education The New York Times (sub. req.) | Oct. 3, 2025
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Judyth Sachs on International Students and a Changing Landscape
11/20/2025
Judyth Sachs on International Students and a Changing Landscape
For International Education Week, Sarah and Jon talk with Dr. Judyth Sachs, chief academic officer at Studiosity, about the pressures students face across borders—well-being, finances, language, and the challenge of feeling at home on campus—and how these issues are shaping the choices international students make about where to study. Sachs also offers a frank view of how “Brand USA” is being perceived abroad and what that means for global competition for students and scholars. But first, the hosts walk through the newest Open Doors data showing a 17 percent drop in new international student enrollment and what the numbers suggest about visa policy, research funding, and the trajectory of U.S. higher education in the year ahead. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show:
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From Big Beautiful Bill to Big Complicated Rules
11/14/2025
From Big Beautiful Bill to Big Complicated Rules
The One Big Beautiful Bill may have made headlines but now comes the hard part: writing the rules. In this episode of dotEDU, we unpack the Education Department’s massive regulatory to-do list, from loan caps and professional degree definitions to new Pell and accountability rules. But first: the government shutdown has ended. What’s next? Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Feb. 25-28, 2026, in Washington, DC Reopening the Federal Government Inside Higher Ed | Nov. 12, 2025 FIPSE Notice Nov. 12, 2025 Department of Education Inside Higher Ed | Nov. 12, 2025 Negotiated Rulemaking ACE Department of Education ACE | Aug. 29, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Nov. 10, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Sept. 26, 2025
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If it’s a shutdown, why are we so busy?
10/31/2025
If it’s a shutdown, why are we so busy?
The Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence” faces near-universal rejection from the nation’s leading universities, even as the White House continues to look for takers. Hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Jon Fansmith, and Sarah Spreitzer unpack why the compact’s demands are legally shaky and practically unworkable. Then they turn to UVA’s separate civil rights settlement, what it signals for Title VI enforcement, and how DOJ’s growing role is reshaping oversight. Also in this episode: the shutdown that isn’t shutting down, deep cuts to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights and TRIO programs, and the new $100,000 H-1B visa fee. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: The Trump Administration's Higher Education Compact White House ACE | Oct. 17, 2025 NPR | Oct. 27, 2025 UVA UVA Today Government Shutdown and Higher Ed Inside Higher Ed | Oct. 29, 2025 H-1B Visas White House | Sept. 19, 2025 ACE | Oct. 27, 2025 (PDF) ACE | Oct. 23, 2025 (PDF) ACE | Oct. 24, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Oct. 29, 2025 Higher Ed Dive | Oct. 29, 2025
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Can They Do That? The White House’s Higher Ed Compact and Shutdown Fallout
10/08/2025
Can They Do That? The White House’s Higher Ed Compact and Shutdown Fallout
The Trump administration’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence” lands on nine campuses with vague perks and 23 demands, including tuition freezes, international caps, and “viewpoint diversity” audits. Hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Jon Fansmith, and Sarah Spreitzer ask can they do that?—then discuss the shutdown’s real impacts, week one of negotiated rulemaking, the stalled $100,000 H-1B fee, and a Dear Colleague reminder on federal funds and lobbying. Here are some of the links and resources from this week’s show: Economic Indicator Tool The Trump Administration's Higher Education Compact White House ACE | Oct. 3, 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | Oct. 2, 2025 The New York Times (sub. req.) | Oct. 2, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Oct. 6, 2025 Government Shutdown and Higher Ed ACE | Sept. 30, 2025 From the Department of Education Inside Higher Ed | Sept. 29, 2025
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Congress funded equity and access. The Trump administration calls it discrimination.
09/23/2025
Congress funded equity and access. The Trump administration calls it discrimination.
The Trump administration is cutting off or moving funding for TRIO, GEAR UP, and MSI programs—even though Congress approved the money. Hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Jon Fansmith, and Sarah Spreitzer explain what’s happening, why it matters, and what colleges should do next. ACE President Ted Mitchell also joins to discuss the need to protect free expression and civil dialogue on campus following the murder of Charlie Kirk. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Department of Education | September 10, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | September 12, 2025 The New York Times (sub. req.) | September 15, 2025 White House | September 19, 2025 Reuters | September 20, 2025 Politico | September 20, 2025
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Demands for Data on Race and the Future of College Admissions
09/11/2025
Demands for Data on Race and the Future of College Admissions
dotEDU is back for Season 7 with an examination of President Trump's demand for admissions data by race and sex and what that means for campuses. Hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Jon Fansmith, and Sarah Spreitzer—joined by ACE’s Hiro Okahana—explain what’s being requested, what’s lawful, and the need to avoid misleading metrics and protect student privacy. Plus: updates on international students, Harvard’s funding-freeze case, and the outlook on appropriations for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Trump Memo on Admissions Data The White House | August 7, 2025 U.S Department of Education | August 7, 2025 ACE | August 11, 2025 IPEDS The Hechinger Report | August 18, 2025 Politico | August 15, 2025 ACE International Students NAFSA | September 9, 2025 Federal Register | August 28, 2025 ACE Harvard Ruling ACE | September 5, 2025 FY 2026 Appropriations ACE | September 5, 2025 ACE | August 4, 2025 ACE ACE
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dotEDU Live: Ask Us Anything About Higher Education Policy
07/31/2025
dotEDU Live: Ask Us Anything About Higher Education Policy
At the six-month mark of the Trump administration, the dotEDU Live hosts take stock of the landscape for colleges and universities. Kicking off with big-picture questions about how colleges can stay mission-focused and weather sustained political attacks, this season finale also explores the implications of the Columbia settlement, accreditation challenges, visa delays for international students, and the road ahead for implementing the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The show will return in September after a brief summer break.
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dotEDU Live: The Big Beautiful Bill Has Passed. What’s Next?
07/11/2025
dotEDU Live: The Big Beautiful Bill Has Passed. What’s Next?
The One Big Beautiful Bill is now law, and colleges are facing a wave of new policies with real consequences for students and campuses. Mushtaq Gunja, Jon Fansmith, and Sarah Spreitzer break down what’s coming for student loans, Pell Grants, accountability rules, endowment taxes, and more. Plus, a quick look at what’s ahead for FY 2026 federal funding and accreditation. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Reconciliation ACE | July 3, 2025 ACE | July 10, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | July 10, 2025 Contains a list of deadlines The New York Times (sub. req.) | July 3, 2025 The New York Times | July 9, 2025 Politico | July 8, 2025 Appropriations ACE | May 9, 2025 Senate Appropriations Committee | June 3, 2025 Accreditation White House | April 23, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | July 8, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | June 26, 2025 Department of Education | May 1, 2025 Reuters | July 9, 2025
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dotEDU Live: What the Senate Reconciliation Bill Gets (Mostly) Wrong
06/27/2025
dotEDU Live: What the Senate Reconciliation Bill Gets (Mostly) Wrong
Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja dig into the Senate’s reconciliation bill and what it means for colleges and students—student loan limits, endowment taxes, accountability rules, and more. They also discuss delays in student visa processing, stalled federal research funding, and a growing number of legal and policy challenges to programs serving undocumented and international students. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show. Reconciliation ACE ACE | June 12, 2025 ACE | June 17, 2025 The New York Times (sub. req.) | June 26, 2025 Higher Ed Dive | May 6, 2025 Rescission The New York Times (sub. req.) | June 17, 2025 International Students The Washington Post (sub. req.) | June 18, 2025 Legal Developments WBUR | June 17, 2025 The Associated Press | June 21, 2025 Reuters | June 17, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | June 18, 2025 The Minnesota Star Tribune (sub. req.) | June 25, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | June 13, 2025
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dotEDU Live: Pause on Student Visas, Reconciliation in the Senate, and More Pressure on Harvard
06/06/2025
dotEDU Live: Pause on Student Visas, Reconciliation in the Senate, and More Pressure on Harvard
In this episode of dotEDU Live, hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja offer expert analysis on the implications of the student visa freeze, mounting political pressure on Harvard from the Trump administration, and the House reconciliation bill, which proposes major cuts to higher education funding and threatens financial aid and access for low-income students. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode: Reconciliation Bill Congress.gov ACE | May 23, 2025 International Student Developments May 30, 2025 ACE | June 2, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | May 22, 2025 Politico | May 27, 2025 Politico | May 30, 2025 Budget and Appropriations Department of Education (PDF) Senate Appropriations Committee | June 3, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | June 4, 2025 House Appropriations Committee | May 21, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | May 22, 2025
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dotEDU Live: Associations Speak Out as Reconciliation Targets Higher Ed
05/16/2025
dotEDU Live: Associations Speak Out as Reconciliation Targets Higher Ed
Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by Steven Bloom, ACE assistant vice president for government relations, about the Trump administration’s escalating actions against higher education. Topics include a joint statement from more than 50 associations condemning political attacks on colleges and universities, deep funding and tax cuts proposed in the House reconciliation bill, legal efforts to block new restrictions on research funding, and recent developments on DEI, international students, and campus antisemitism. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show. You can contact Congress about the House reconciliation bill using . Restoring the Compact with Higher Ed ACE | May 14, 2025 ACE | May 14, 2025 Harvard Response to Education Secretary Linda McMahon The New York Times (sub. req.) | May 12, 2025 AJC, ACE Antisemitism Statement Funding & Budget Landscape Skinny Budget & Appropriations ACE | May 9, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | May 2, 2025 National Science Foundation Lawsuit ACE | May 5, 2025
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dotEDU Live: The Trump Administration’s Pressure Campaign Continues
05/02/2025
dotEDU Live: The Trump Administration’s Pressure Campaign Continues
At the 100-day mark of the Trump administration, Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja review a fast-moving and consequential start: 142 executive orders, declining approval ratings, and significant policy shifts affecting higher education. They discuss new executive orders on accreditation, foreign influence, DEI, immigration, and HBCUs, along with proposed cuts to student aid in the House reconciliation bill. The episode also looks at the confusion surrounding revoked student visas and what early polling signals about public reaction to the administration’s actions. Send suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation on X or Bluesky or email . Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode: From ACE (the Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan) ACE | April 29, 2025 ACE | April 30, 2025 News Articles Politico | April 25, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | April 24, 2025 Politico | April 30, 2025 Trump Executive Orders ACE Summary (April 23, 2025) (April 23, 2025) (April 23, 2025) (April 23, 2025) (April 23, 2025) (April 28, 2025)
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dotEDU Live: Harvard Pushes Back, Visa Chaos, and the Fight for Research Funding
04/16/2025
dotEDU Live: Harvard Pushes Back, Visa Chaos, and the Fight for Research Funding
In this episode of dotEDU Live, the hosts unpack the Trump administration’s sweeping demands to Harvard—including oversight of teaching, governance, and student speech—and the university’s refusal to comply, a defining moment in higher education’s response to growing federal pressure. They also examine the surge in international student visa revocations and the escalating legal fight over federal research funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy. ACE President Ted Mitchell and Steven Bloom from ACE’s Government Relations team join the conversation to explore what it all means for campuses—and how they can respond. Send suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation on X or Bluesky or email podcast@acenet.edu. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode: Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: Harvard University President’s Office Inside Higher Ed | April 16, 2025 American Jewish Committee The Washington Post | April 14, 2025 American Council on Education | April 7, 2025 American Council on Education American Council on Education
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dotEDU Live: Latest on Dismantling of the ED, International Students, and Budget Issues
04/03/2025
dotEDU Live: Latest on Dismantling of the ED, International Students, and Budget Issues
In this episode of dotEDU Live, Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq unpack the sweeping policy shifts affecting higher education, including the executive order to dismantle the Department of Education (ED). They also discuss the legal and financial implications for institutions, potential changes to federal student aid, immigration policies impacting international students, and key congressional budget updates. Send suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation on X or Bluesky or email podcast@acenet.edu. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode: The White House | March 20, 2025 (Executive Order) ACE | March 21, 2025 The Associated Press | March 13, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | April 2, 2025 The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 31, 2025 ACE | March 31, 2025 The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 27, 2025
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dotEDU Live: What the Education Department Layoffs Mean for Colleges and Universities
03/20/2025
dotEDU Live: What the Education Department Layoffs Mean for Colleges and Universities
The latest episode of dotEDU Live unpacks the sweeping layoffs at the Department of Education and their implications for colleges and universities. Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja are joined by ACE President Ted Mitchell to break down the budget battle in Congress, the department’s restructuring, and the ripple effects on financial aid, student services, and institutional oversight. The discussion also covers the Trump administration’s ongoing investigations into higher education institutions, including Title VI enforcement actions and DEI-related scrutiny, as well as the shifting landscape for federal grant funding. Send suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation on X or Bluesky or email podcast@acenet.edu. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: The Associated Press | March 11, 2025 ACE | March 11, 2025 Department of Education | March 10, 2025 ACE | March 10, 2025 White House | March 7, 2025 Department of Education | March 14, 2025 By ACE President Ted Mitchell The Hechinger Report | March 18, 2025 The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 13, 2025 Maine Public | March 12, 2025
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Fixing FAFSA—Lessons From the Rollout
03/13/2025
Fixing FAFSA—Lessons From the Rollout
In this episode of dotEDU, Sarah Spreitzer and Mushtaq Gunja give an update on the unprecedented workforce cuts at the Department of Education and share their concerns about the immediate and long-term implications for higher education. After that, the hosts take a look back at the troubled rollout of the new FAFSA system. Jeremy Singer, president of the College Board, talks about his time at the Department of Education last year leading the FAFSA relaunch effort at Federal Student Aid. He shares firsthand insights into what went wrong, the challenges of managing a large-scale federal program, and the lessons learned from the rollout. Send suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation on X or Bluesky or email podcast@acenet.edu. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode: Inside Higher Ed | March 11, 2025 CNN | March 11, 2025 The White House | March 7, 2025 The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 7, 2025 The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) | March 11, 2025 Portland Press Herald (sub. req.) | March 11, 2025 Federal Student Aid The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Nov. 21, 2024 Chalkbeat Colorado | July 8, 2024 Diverse: Issues In Higher Education | Jan. 23, 2025
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dotEDU Live: More Policy Shifts, More Uncertainty for Colleges
03/05/2025
dotEDU Live: More Policy Shifts, More Uncertainty for Colleges
As colleges and universities face mounting federal scrutiny, dotEDU Live hosts Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the latest developments from the Department of Education, the White House, and Congress. They discuss the Education Department’s revised FAQ on DEI policies, newly confirmed Secretary Linda McMahon’s plans for the department, and the Trump administration’s increasing use of federal funding to pressure institutions. The conversation also covers ongoing research funding disruptions, the potential for a government shutdown, and heightened federal investigations into campus protests. Send suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation on X or Bluesky or email podcast@acenet.edu. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: U.S. Department of Education | Feb. 14, 2025 ACE | March 3, 2025 U.S. Department of Education | March 1, 2025 U.S. Department of Education | March 3, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | March 3, 2025 The New York Times | Feb. 28, 2025 The White House | Feb. 26, 2025 The Guardian | March 4, 2025 U.S. Department of Education | March 3, 2025
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dotEDU Live: The Future of Campus Diversity and Student Support
02/19/2025
dotEDU Live: The Future of Campus Diversity and Student Support
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has issued a sweeping directive declaring that race-conscious student programs, financial aid, and support services violate federal civil rights law—giving colleges just 14 days to comply. ACE President Ted Mitchell joins hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja to discuss the implications for campuses. The episode also covers recent developments, including funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health and Linda McMahon’s Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education. Note: For examples of grants that have been stopped, please send stories and concerns to ACE Government Relations. Send suggestions, links, and questions to @ACEducation on X or Bluesky or email podcast@acenet.edu. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: U.S. Department of Education | Feb. 18, 2025 ACE | Feb. 14, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 11, 2025 ACE | Feb. 10, 2025 Association of American Universities | YouTube Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 18, 2025 ACE | Dec. 10, 2024 ACE | Feb. 14, 2025
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dotEDU Live: New Orders and New Challenges for Higher Education
02/06/2025
dotEDU Live: New Orders and New Challenges for Higher Education
In this all-Q&A episode of dotEDU Live, hosts Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the latest policy shifts, legal battles, and administrative chaos facing colleges and universities in the Trump administration’s first weeks. From the fallout of the now-blocked federal spending freeze to the uncertain future of DEI funding and research grants, they answer audience questions on how agencies are interpreting new executive orders, the impact on funding, and whether the administration can really dismantle the Department of Education. Send suggestions, links, and questions to or . Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show: American Council on Education Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 3, 2025 The Boston Globe (sub. req.) | Feb. 5, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 5, 2025 White House Executive Order |Jan. 29, 2025 Department of Education | Feb. 3, 2025 Department of Health and Human Services | Feb. 3, 2025 Department of Justice | Feb. 3, 2025 Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 3, 2025
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