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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Sara Custer @saracuster.insidehighered.com · 16h

As far as we know, 500 employees at ED were fired today. A senior department leader told @jessicablake.bsky.social that the directive came from Ross Vought's OMB and took the department by surprise.
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Trump Fires More Education Dept. Employees

The Trump administration threatened to lay off federal workers because of the government shutdown. Thousands reportedly got pink slips Friday.

www.insidehighered.com

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 20h

And the tax implications!

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Jessica Blake @jessicablake.bsky.social · 21h

Here's the latest from @insidehighered.com on the second round of layoffs at the Department of Education:

Trump Fires More Education Dept. Employees

The Trump administration threatened to lay off federal workers because of the government shutdown. An unspecified number of employees got pink slips Friday.

www.insidehighered.com

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 1d

For the last six months, I have been saying that the Trump administration may block all international students from China. It's still not the most likely outcome, but the odds just went up in the last 24 hours.

We're a bargaining chip in the trade war.

www.wsj.com/world/china/...

Trump Threatens Higher Tariffs on China Citing Restrictions on Rare-Earth Elements

President Trump said there was “no reason” to meet with President Xi Jinping after the country’s newest restrictions on rare-earth materials marked an escalation in trade negotiations.

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Josh Moody @byjoshmoody.bsky.social · 1d

MIT rejects federal compact:

www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

MIT Rejects Proposed Federal Compact

MIT is the first institution to reject a proposal by the Trump administration that would trade preferential treatment on federal funding in exchange for far-reaching changes.

www.insidehighered.com

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 1d

In higher ed, we’ve always these memos. They’re called annual review reports and promotion in tenure applications. They determine if you get to keep your job and what raise you’ll get. The differences there are on a set timeline (not random) and reviewed by peers.

Oliver Darcy @oliverdarcy.bsky.social · 1d

News: Bari Weiss just sent a memo to staffers at CBS News asking them to produce a memo explaining "how you spend your working hours—and ideally, what you've made (or are making) that you're most proud of."

One CBS News staffer puts it like this to me: "We just got Elon Musked."

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 1d

It's quite unusual for a state senator from the majority party to resort to FOIA requests to get information from a public university, but that is what's happening at the University of Virginia right now after sending a letter resulted in an inadequate response.

Democratic Lawmakers Amplify Pressure on UVA

Democrats are demanding answers over the University of Virginia president’s resignation and warning the board against signing a proposed federal compact.

www.insidehighered.com

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 1d

Gotta feel for the Phillies' pitcher there. That's painful.

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 1d

There is a sponsorship opportunity with A1.

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Alex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 1d

Real change in public expenditures on higher education, 2008 to 2023, selected countries that actually publish the damn data. UK is worst here, but note this does not include RAB (projected future loan forgiveness, basically). If RAB is included...UK would still be last.

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Sarah Brown @brownepoints.bsky.social · 2d

Great piece.

"...a central and long-running rupture over the foundational mission of civics schools... Should they reform how universities teach by prioritizing civil discourse, or should they add viewpoint diversity by hiring more conservatives?"

UNC-Chapel Hill’s Lesson in Civics

The School of Civic Life and Leadership’s public fighting is part of a long-running rupture about the mission of civics schools around the country.

www.theassemblync.com

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 2d

The problem with college costs is that, with some exceptions, spending more allows campuses to do more good things better. Sure, competition and glitz, high salaries explain some of it. But much of it is a problem about how to ration quality.

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 2d

As anyone who has read the classic tome about the ramifications of giving a mouse a cookie knows, Harvard isn't going to be left alone after signing a document.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...

Last week, President Trump made a surprise announcement that Harvard and the government were near an agreement that would allow the university to continue to receive billions in research funds. But a day later, his administration sent letters to nine universities that asked campus leaders to embrace a plan that would align the Trump administration’s political agenda with preferred access to federal research dollars.

Harvard officials have since discussed internally the possibility of seeking additional assurances from the administration that the university will not be subject to further demands once an agreement has been signed, according to two people briefed on the matter.

Administration officials have said the letters to campuses were attempts to solicit feedback, not ultimatums. Still, the requests concerned Harvard leaders because three of the schools had either agreed to deals with the administration or were in negotiations.

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 2d

Nope.

Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 2d

That wasn't mentioned, surprisingly enough.

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 2d

It's fascinating that a higher ed search firm reached out to a very conservative member of Congress to recruit the new president of Youngstown State. I didn't know that was a part of search firms' playbooks.

www.chronicle.com/article/the-...

What is more unusual is that, while in Congress, Johnson, a staunch conservative, swapped endorsements with President Trump, and was perhaps best known for voting not to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election and supporting a travel ban on majority-Muslim nations during Trump’s first administration.

Johnson, 70, wasn’t seeking a fourth act. So when representatives from the search firm WittKieffer came calling about the Youngstown State job, he had a question of his own: “Why would I consider something like this?”

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 3d

College presidents, head coaches, and enrollment management directors have a lot in common. They are high-profile, their wins and losses can be easily seen, and are well-paid. But these also result in short amounts of time on the job.

For Enrollment Leaders, the Hot Seat Keeps Getting Hotter

They’re navigating demands for an annual miracle: more applicants, more revenue, more everything — no matter the circumstances.

www.chronicle.com

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 3d

During 2019 football season -- last one before the pandemic -- there were two college head coaches making over $8 million, none making over $9.5M.

This season, nine coaches are making more than $10 million, with another now at an annualized total of $10M.
sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/salarie...

Highest Paid College Football Coaches & Salaries - USA TODAY

Ever wondered who the highest paid coach in college football is? Find out today with USA TODAY's complete salary data.

sportsdata.usatoday.com

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 3d

That's wild. We have local schools for a reason in most of the country.

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 3d

As a small-town Midwesterner with a PhD in education policy, I know the world of competitive high schools exist...but I still can't process it. Growing up, the options were the local public high school or a regional Catholic school. I went to the public school and turned out okay-ish.

These Parents Are Willing to Pay Up to $15,000 to Get Their Kids Into High School

Getting into high school—private and public—is more competitive than ever. Parents are paying up.

www.wsj.com

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 3d

And the faculty in your higher education program!

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Brendan Cantwell @cantb.bsky.social · 3d

Student number controls

Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 3d

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is expected to announce plans to cut the number of UK university places by about 100,000 annually by reintroducing student number controls, reports Patrick Jack #edusky
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/badenochs-number-caps-plan-would-cut-100000-university-places

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 3d

North Carolina football is cancelling a planned documentary series with Hulu, likely because the on-field product isn't tremendously entertaining.

Report: UNC scraps plans for Hulu documentary

UNC has scrapped plans for a documentary series with Hulu, according to a report from Inside Carolina, after the team's 2-3 start on the season.

www.espn.com

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Austin Slaughter @austinslaughter.bsky.social · 4d

This is a terrific paper looking at which programs are likely to fail the new earnings threshold established by the OBBA

www.american.edu/spa/peer/upl...

Bar graph showing the percentage of students in low-earning programs by credential type. Undergrad certificates: 24%; associate's: 3.9%; bachelor's: 0.6%; grad certificates: 3.1%; master's: 2.9%; doctoral: 0.3; professional: 4.7%; total (with undergrad certificates): 3.7%; total (without undergrad certificates): 1.8%.

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Reposted by Robert Kelchen

Kristi @kdonnn.bsky.social · 4d

so much more was to come from
the NCES longitudinal studies, especially high school which has been a mainstay since the 1970s.

HS&B:22 was planned to follow students through 12th grade and after, through postsecondary and career transitions.

NPR @npr.org · 4d

The federal government has long surveyed high schoolers to help track how their academic choices may have influenced the course of their lives. The Trump administration put an end to that effort.

The government has long researched high school experiences. Then DOGE cut the effort

The federal government has long surveyed high schoolers to help track how their academic choices may have influenced the course of their lives. The Trump administration put an end to that effort.

n.pr

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