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.

https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/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

Reconciliation Bill Narrowly Passes Congress ACE | July 3, 2025

Summary: One Big Beautiful Bill Act ACE | July 10, 2025

Trump Signed the ‘Big Beautiful Bill.’ What’s Next? Inside Higher Ed | July 10, 2025 Contains a list of deadlines

What the Republicans’ New Policy Bill Means for Higher Education The New York Times (sub. req.) | July 3, 2025

8 Million Federal Student Loan Borrowers Will Soon See Interest Restart The New York Times | July 9, 2025

Senate GOP Plots How to Move Trump’s $9.4B Clawbacks Request Politico | July 8, 2025

Carnegie Classifications

College Scorecard

Appropriations

White House FY 2026 Budget Proposal Targets Education, Science, and Civil Rights Funding ACE | May 9, 2025

A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Education Senate Appropriations Committee | June 3, 2025

Accreditation

Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education White House | April 23, 2025

Education Department Postpones NACIQI Summer Meeting Inside Higher Ed | July 8, 2025

6 States Partner to Launch New Accreditor Inside Higher Ed | June 26, 2025

U.S. Department of Education Expands Accreditation Options for Colleges and Universities Department of Education | May 1, 2025

Trump Administration Threatens Harvard’s Accreditation, Seeks Records on Foreign Students Reuters | July 9, 2025

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

Advocate for Students and Campuses in the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill ACE

Senate 2025 Education Budget Reconciliation Bill ACE | June 12, 2025

Senate Finance Reconciliation Tax Package: Summary of Key Higher Ed Provisions ACE | June 17, 2025

A Running List of Policies Rejected From the Republican Megabill The New York Times (sub. req.) | June 26, 2025

Risk-Sharing: A ‘Well-Intentioned’ Disaster for Colleges? Higher Ed Dive | May 6, 2025

Rescission

White House Eyes Rarely Used Power to Override Congress on Spending The New York Times (sub. req.) | June 17, 2025

International Students

State Dept. Restarts Student Visa Interviews With Tougher Social Media Rules The Washington Post (sub. req.) | June 18, 2025

Legal Developments

Judge Orders NIH to Restore Research Funds Terminated Using Political, Not Scientific Criteria WBUR | June 17, 2025

Judge Blocks the Trump Administration’s National Science Foundation Research Funding Cuts The Associated Press | June 21, 2025

US Judge Blocks Defense Department From Slashing Federal Research Funding Reuters | June 17, 2025

Federal Judge Won’t Block Trump’s Cuts to IES Inside Higher Ed | June 18, 2025

U.S. Justice Department Sues Minnesota for Offering In-State Tuition Costs to Undocumented Students The Minnesota Star Tribune (sub. req.) | June 25, 2025

Tennessee Lawsuit Puts HSIs’ Fate on the Line Inside Higher Ed | June 13, 2025

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

H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act Congress.gov

House Passes Reconciliation Bill with Far-Reaching Negative Implications for Higher Education ACE | May 23, 2025

Advocate for Students and Campuses in the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill

International Student Developments

Higher Ed Community Letter to Secretary Of State Marco Rubio May 30, 2025

As Trump Administration Escalates Visa Crackdowns, Higher Ed Community Pushes Back ACE | June 2, 2025

Trump Administration Strips Harvard’s SEVP Certification Inside Higher Ed | May 22, 2025

Trump Team Pauses New Student Visa Interviews as It Weighs Expanding Social Media Vetting Politico | May 27, 2025

State Begins Rolling Out Expanded Student Visa Vetting — Starting With Harvard Politico | May 30, 2025

Budget and Appropriations

ED’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Budget Request Department of Education

More Than 10,000 TRIO Alumni Urge Congress to Protect the Program (PDF)

A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Education Senate Appropriations Committee | June 3, 2025

McMahon Gets Bipartisan Grilling in the Senate Inside Higher Ed | June 4, 2025

Budget Hearing - U.S. Department of Education House Appropriations Committee | May 21, 2025

McMahon Plays Defense on the Hill Inside Higher Ed | May 22, 2025

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 this tool.

Restoring the Compact with Higher Ed

Community Joint Statement Calling on Trump Administration to Reforge Compact with Higher Education ACE | May 14, 2025

ACE, Others Call on Trump Administration to Reforge Compact with Higher Education ACE | May 14, 2025

Harvard Response to Education Secretary Linda McMahon

McMahon letter

Harvard’s response

Harvard Argues It Has ‘Common Ground’ With Trump Administration The New York Times (sub. req.) | May 12, 2025

AJC, ACE Antisemitism Statement

AJC, ACE, AAU, Others Unite Against Antisemitism, Caution on Federal Overreach

Funding & Budget Landscape

Tax Reform and Higher Education in 2025 

Summary: Higher Ed Provisions in the Ways and Means Tax Reconciliation Tax Package

Letter to the House on Proposed Medicaid Cuts

Skinny Budget & Appropriations

White House Office of Management and Budget Releases the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Skinny Budget

White House FY 2026 Budget Proposal Targets Education, Science, and Civil Rights Funding ACE | May 9, 2025

What Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts Mean for Education, Research Inside Higher Ed | May 2, 2025

National Science Foundation Lawsuit 

Higher Education Groups File Lawsuit Against NSF Cap on Research Reimbursements ACE | May 5, 2025

Statement of AAU, ACE, and APLU Regarding their Legal Challenge to the National Science Foundation’s Cut to Critical Research That Strengthens America

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 [email protected].

Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode: 

Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education

Letter Opposing the House Budget Reconciliation Bill (the Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan) ACE | April 29, 2025

Summary of the Student Success and Taxpayer Savings PlanACE | April 30, 2025

College Cost Reduction Act: By the Numbers

Trump Administration Reverses Abrupt Terminations of Foreign Students’ US Visa Registrations Politico | April 25, 2025

Anti-DEI Guidance Letter Put On Hold, for Now Inside Higher Ed | April 24, 2025

Judge Frees Columbia Student Activist Whom Trump Administration Wants to Deport Politico | April 30, 2025

Higher Education & The Trump Administration ACE Summary

Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education (April 23, 2025)

Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities (April 23, 2025)

White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (April 23, 2025)

Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy (April 23, 2025)

Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future (April 23, 2025)

Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens (April 28, 2025)

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 [email protected]. 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:

The Promise of American Higher Education Harvard University President’s Office

Trump’s Demands of Harvard Escalate His War on Higher Ed Inside Higher Ed | April 16, 2025

AJC Statement on University Funding Cuts American Jewish Committee

College Financial Aid Hit with Glitches, Delays Due to Federal Staffing Cuts The Washington Post | April 14, 2025

ACE, Higher Ed Associations Demand Answers as Student Visa Revocations Spread Nationwide American Council on Education | April 7, 2025

ACE Page on NIH and DOE Lawsuits American Council on Education

Tax Reform and Higher Education in 2025 American Council on Education

NAFSA International Student Economic Value Tool

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 [email protected]. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode: 

Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities   The White House | March 20, 2025 (Executive Order)

ACE President Ted Mitchell: Trump’s Order to Dismantle ED is “Political Theater”   ACE | March 21, 2025

Federal Student Loan Site Down Wednesday, a Day After Layoffs Gutted Education Department   The Associated Press | March 13, 2025

Public Health Agencies See Mass Layoffs   Inside Higher Ed | April 2, 2025

Trump Administration Will Review Billions in Funding for Harvard   The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 31, 2025

ACE, Higher Ed Association Urge Changes to Foreign Gift Reporting Bill Passed by House   ACE | March 31, 2025

What We Know About the Detentions of Student Protesters   The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 27, 2025

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 [email protected]. Here are some of the links and references from this week’s show:

Education Department Cuts Half Its Staff as Trump Vows to Wind the Agency Down The Associated Press | March 11, 2025

Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on Significant Layoffs at the Department of Education ACE | March 11, 2025 

U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Sends Letters to 60 Universities Under Investigation for Antisemitic Discrimination and Harassment Department of Education | March 10, 2025 

Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell Opposing the Trump Administration’s Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University ACE | March 10, 2025 

Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness White House | March 7, 2025 

Office for Civil Rights Initiates Title VI Investigations into Institutions of Higher Education Department of Education | March 14, 2025 

OPINION: Here’s Why We Cannot Permit America’s Partnership with Higher Education to Weaken or Dissolve By ACE President Ted Mitchell The Hechinger Report | March 18, 2025

Trump Demands Major Changes in Columbia Discipline and Admissions Rules The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 13, 2025 

Susan Collins Announces Reinstatement of University of Maine System’s Paused USDA Funding Maine Public | March 12, 2025

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 [email protected].

Here are some of the links and references from this week’s episode:

Education Department Lays Off Nearly Half of Staff Inside Higher Ed | March 11, 2025

Department of Education Investigating 60 Colleges and Universities Over Antisemitism Claims CNN | March 11, 2025

Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness The White House | March 7, 2025 

White House Cancels $400 Million in Grants and Contracts to Columbia The New York Times (sub. req.) | March 7, 2025 

Johns Hopkins Plans Staff Layoffs After $800 Million Grant Cuts The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) | March 11, 2025

USDA Halts Millions in Funding for University of Maine System Portland Press Herald (sub. req.) | March 11, 2025

What Is the FAFSA Simplification Act? Federal Student Aid

FAFSA Is Officially Out, and Everyone Is Cautiously Optimistic The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Nov. 21, 2024

Flawed FAFSA Rollout Leads to 11.6% Drop In Students Filling Out the College Financial Aid Form Chalkbeat Colorado | July 8, 2024

New Clearinghouse Data Shows Freshman Enrollment Has, in Fact, Increased Diverse: Issues In Higher Education | Jan. 23, 2025