The Education Department has proposed a plan requiring colleges to submit six years of application and admissions data broken down by race and sex as part of the 2025-26 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System reporting cycle. Following President Donald Trump's memo, the proposal aims to establish a baseline of admissions practices before the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling against race-conscious admissions.

The University at Buffalo has established an academic department focused on AI and its societal effects. Supported by Empire AI and $5 million in state funding, the Department of AI and Society will offer "AI + X" degrees that combine AI with traditional disciplines such as communication, economics and geography. The university expects to enroll more than 300 students annually by 2030.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi has joined Howard University as a history professor and founding director of the Institute for Advanced Study, marking a return to historically Black higher education. Kendi's career began in journalism before he transitioned to academia, gaining national prominence with his book "Stamped from the Beginning." At Howard, Kendi aims to create a community-focused institute that addresses systemic inequities and supports HBCU faculty, emphasizing the importance of community over resources in academic work.

Stanford University will continue to consider legacy and donor connections in admissions for the fall 2026 class, despite a new California law to curb the practice. To comply with the law, which bans private colleges receiving state-funded student aid from practicing legacy and donor admissions, Stanford will forgo state student aid and use its own scholarship funding instead. Last year, 13.6% of Stanford's admitted undergraduates had ties to alumni or donors, while the overall acceptance rate was just under 4%.

Inspired by her 12-year-old twins, Susan E. Ray says she cannon-balled into generative AI, studying several models, learning the mechanics and ethics. At Delaware County Community College, she secured a grant for ChatGPT subscriptions and access to AI tools in computer labs, enabling students to experiment collaboratively and reflectively with technology. The integration fostered higher student engagement, more consistent assignment completion, and notable improvements in academic performance compared to previous semesters without AI.