Jessica Blake

Expected in general but especially once they did the Hopkins lawsuit about using income as a proxy for race. The fact that I never cursed someone out for talking about how we should give up on race-conscious admissions because "class is right there" is a miracle.

Grant Applications for Campus Childcare Put on Hold Funding applications for programs that support low-income and adult learners typically open in May and close by the end of July. This year they have yet to be announced.

Great reporting from @jessicablake.bsky.social childcare on campus is a vital support for parenting students and this administration should be using those funds now, as Congress intended, not holding on to them.
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Medicaid Cuts Could Damage College Student Outcomes Massive cuts to a federal health insurance program could impact the 3.4 million college students who rely on it.

Experts fear the number of uninsured students will rise and graduation rates will drop due to Medicaid cuts in Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.

Vital mental health services will be harder to access, they add.

Read more from @j-alonso.bsky.social www.insidehighered.com/news/student...

Trump is seeking to reshape higher education. Meet the man he wants leading the charge. Trump's pick to oversee higher ed was a vice president for a company that paid $13 million to settle accusations it defrauded the student aid system.

A strong profile on undersecretary nominee Nicholas Kent from @chrisquintana.bsky.social.

Backers say Kent has "a deep knowledge" of higher ed policy. Critics question his ties to a for-profit college that "paid millions to settle claims of fraud."
www.usatoday.com/story/news/i...

More updates to come from @insidehighered.com later this afternoon.

University of Virginia President Resigns After Trump’s Demands The move is a “major blow” to the independence of American institutions, one expert said.

BREAKING: UVA President James Ryan resigns under pressure from the DOJ.

The dept. has been investigating the university's DEI programs and alleged resistance to closing them since April.

Higher ed experts say this is a “major blow” to academic freedom.
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Parliamentarian Nixes Workforce Pell From “Big Beautiful Bill” The decision shocked some higher ed lobbyists but is a win for critics of the plan.

If, like me, you're getting a crash course in civics while you follow the twists and turns of reconciliation, @jessicablake.bsky.social's reporting on the Senate Byrd bath includes helpful info about what steps are left for the Big Beautiful Bill to become law www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Assessing What Reconciliation Means for Higher Ed House committees put the finishing touches on their sections of the reconciliation megabill early this week. Now, all the pieces of the puzzle are laid out, and higher ed experts say the picture is gr...

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

House committees put the finishing touches on their sections of the reconciliation megabill early this week.

Now, that all the pieces of the puzzle are laid out, what does it mean for higher ed? We asked that question so you don't have to.

Read more at the link below.

Senate Committee Postpones Vote on Antisemitism Awareness Act A vote on the Antisemitism Awareness Act—a bill that would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s controversial definition of antisemitism—was postponed Wednesday following a testy ...

www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-t...

Yesterday's Antisemitism Awareness Act markup was tense.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted with Dems on several amendments, arguing the current bill violates First Amendment rights.

A final vote to advance the bill from committee to floor was postponed.

Full recap at the 🔗 below:

Education Department’s Anti-DEI Guidance Blocked Several colleges scrubbed their campuses and websites of DEI-related language and shuttered offices in order to comply with the letter's sweeping demands.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

ICYMI: Two separate court orders were filed today, blocking the Trump administration’s Dear Colleague letter which deemed all DEI programs and scholarships illegal.

@afthighered.bsky.social and @NEAToday.bsky.social praised the rulings.

Read more from @insidehighered.com at the link below 🔗:

Trump’s Latest Executive Orders Target Accreditation The seven orders address a range of priorities for the president, including cracking down on foreign gifts to colleges and supporting HBCUs. But accreditation reform is Trump’s “secret weapon.”

New from @jessicablake.bsky.social and me: Trump signed a bunch of education-related executive orders tonight. Here's what you need to know about the key higher ed ones.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Video: How the White House Press Briefing Is Changing The Trump administration is considering taking control of the seating in the White House press briefing room from the independent White House Correspondents’ Association. Ashley Wu, a graphics reporte...

The Trump administration is changing the way the White House press briefing room works. And the New York Times explains how: www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...

How Trump’s Early Actions Compare to Project 2025 Many of the Trump administration’s early actions have closely mirrored the recommendations of conservative think tanks.

The trump administration has fully or partially implemented nearly one-third of the 50 or so higher ed policy recommendations outlined in Project 2025. Can studying it prepare us for what's coming next? A terrific analysis by @jessicablake.bsky.social:
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Congress Eying More Control Over Colleges Lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills related to higher education, according to a new searchable database from Inside Higher Ed. Taken together, the proposals offer a sketch of the Republican agen...

Read our analysis and check out the database here:
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Since Jan. 20 the most attention grabbing conversations about higher ed have emerged from the White House. But Congress also has skin in the game.

Lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills related to higher education + @insidehighered.com created a searchable database to track them.

Trump Signs Order to Break Up Education Department Only Congress can get rid of the department, but Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon are already working to gut the agency.

I was in the East Room as President Trump signed an executive order directing Ed Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle the Department of Education just minutes ago. The department can not, however, be fully abolished without Congressional action.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

International Students Navigate Escalating Threats The Trump administration is arresting foreign students in their dorms and threatening deportation. Students are rattled and uncertain about their future in America.

Trump is arresting foreign students and threatening deportation, leaving them uncertain about their future in America.

“This administration has declared war on immigrants broadly and international students specifically,” law professor Steven Yale-Loehr said.
www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...

Religious Freedom as a Defense for DEI? Georgetown University cited its Jesuit mission in responding to Trump administration critiques of DEI. Could religious freedom protect against attacks on diversity practices?

ICYMI: Georgetown Law cited its Jesuit mission when challenged by Trump for not scrubbing all DEI policies and programs.

As a follow up @saraweissman.bsky.social + @byjoshmoody.bsky.social explored whether religious freedom could become a shield of defense.
www.insidehighered.com/news/institu...

How the Education Department Layoffs Could Affect Higher Ed The Trump administration’s deep cuts at the department hit some offices harder than others, but the effects will likely be felt by students, families and institutions across the country.

What remains of the department after nearly half the staff was fired? @liamknox.bsky.social and @jessicablake.bsky.social found out.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Education Department to reduce staff by half Ahead of the announcement, the department told staff that DC offices would be closed on Wednesday and reopen Thursday for “security reasons.”

The Trump administration is planning to cut the staff at the Education Department by about 50 percent. @liamknox.bsky.social and @jessicablake.bsky.social on what we know now about the layoffs.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Draft order outlines plan to close Education Dept. The leaked draft gives higher ed leaders some idea of what could happen next.

Trump didn't sign the rumored executive order to "abolish" the Education Department yesterday as many thought he would.

But a leaked draft gives higher ed leaders some idea of what could happen next.
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

UPDATE: The Trump administration is now saying the order will not be signed today.

What abolishing Education Department could mean for higher ed Trump and his allies want to dismantle the 45-year-old agency. But doing so would be more complicated than they say.

www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Five ways the Education Department impacts higher ed Momentum is building around plans to dismantle the department, but what does it actually do for colleges, universities and their students?

You can find everything you need to know about what the department does and what it will take to truly dismantle the agency in the @insidehighered.com archives.

But here are a few of my favorites: www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Trump reportedly set to order dismantling of Education Dept. The long-awaited directive comes as the agency is preparing to lay off likely hundreds of employees and just days after Secretary Linda McMahon took the reins.

The long-awaited directive to "abolish" the Dept. of Ed is scheduled to be signed at 2 p.m. today. The agency may lay off hundreds of staff.

But it's important to note that until Congress passes legislation saying otherwise, the agency will still exist.
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

DOGE fails to accurately disclose contract and program cuts Education scholars say the administration’s rash of cuts and lack of quality transparency will have a “devastating effect” on public policy and student outcomes for years to come.

On Feb. 18, Trump ordered all agencies to publicize DOGE cuts “to the maximum extent" and @insidehighered.com immediately requested a comprehensive list of such cuts from the Ed Dept.

Now, it's been 2 weeks and ED has yet to respond.

Here's what we know: www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

SFFA president on affirmative action ban's growing impact The architect of the affirmative action ban got everything he wanted, first from the Supreme Court, then from the Trump administration. He’s still not satisfied.

@liamknox.bsky.social provides valuable insight on the recent thoughts of Edward Blum, the architect of the affirmative action ban, as Trump's anti-DEI crusade roars.
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...