Lumina Foundation is working to increase the share of adults in the U.S. labor force with college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity.
President Donald Trump has personally stipulated that significant financial penalties will be part of the agreements his administration is negotiating with elite universities. Critics call it extortion. White House officials say the goal of extracting money from universities is to enhance trade schools, apprenticeships, and other “real world” training.
Now, a hefty payment appears to be a bedrock provision for any deal, including one with Harvard University, which the administration views as its biggest prize and which has billions in federal grants at stake.
The Trump administration has upended civil rights enforcement at K-12 schools and colleges, prioritizing cases that allege transgender students and students of color are getting unfair advantages, while severe staff cuts have left thousands of other allegations unresolved.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights is so short-staffed that some attorneys have as many as 300 cases, making it impossible to devote attention to most of them, current and former employees said. Fewer cases are being closed, and 90 percent of those resolved were dismissed, typically without an investigation, up from 80 percent last year.
Student journalists have their fingerprints on more than 282 public radio or television stations across the country, providing behind-the-scenes support, working as on-screen talent, or reporting in their local communities for broadcast content. However, more than $1 billion in federal budget cuts could reduce opportunities for work-based learning, mentorship, and paid internships.
About 13 percent of the 319 NPR or PBS affiliates analyzed in a recent report operate similarly to teaching hospitals in that a core goal of the organization is to train college students. For interns or students working directly in the studio, partnering alongside career journalists also gives them access to a professional network and a career field they may not otherwise engage in.
With the new academic year about to begin at most universities across the United States, many international students are navigating a mix of anxiety and uncertainty as the Trump administration’s crackdown on higher education and immigration continues.
In this interview, international students studying in the United States describe their state of mind as they prepare to return to campus. Some express how policy shifts are derailing their academic plans, while others say they are now reconsidering whether the United States is a place where they want to pursue their academic futures.
In 2023, Lumina Foundation launched The Great Admissions Redesign—a bold initiative challenging higher education systems, institutions, and state agencies to rethink admissions from the ground up. The goal: transform outdated, inequitable processes into streamlined, student-centered experiences. With more than 70 proposals from 32 states and U.S. territories, the movement sparked innovations focused on clarity, automation, and simplicity for students and families.
On Thursday, Sept. 4 at 1 p.m. EDT, a live recording of Lumina's Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Talent podcast will share what’s possible—and what’s next—in college admissions. Register here.
Colleges continue to see disruptions in the federal aid process months after major staff cuts at the U.S. Department of Education, and the impacts on students appear to be intensifying.
Those findings come from a new survey by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. More than 500 financial aid officers at colleges nationwide completed the survey, which was conducted in July. The results suggest that the backbone of the financial aid process has been weakened—and some students’ access to the crucial federal funds they need for college could be at risk.
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