Insight Into Academia

07/30/2026

When does oversight become censorship?

A new Texas law is reshaping who has the final say over curriculum, faculty governance, and academic decision-making at the state's public universities. Supporters argue it's about accountability. Critics warn it threatens academic freedom and institutional independence.

Read the full story:

Students, educators and civil rights advocates are sounding the alarm over a Texas law they say is gutting academic freedom at the state’s public colleges and universities, even as Republican lawmakers overseeing its rollout say the system is working as intended. Ahead of Tuesday’s first interim...

07/29/2026

What if the key to improving student success isn't more data, but better data?

Community colleges are expanding the way they collect and use student data to gain a deeper understanding of students' experiences, challenges, and support needs. By looking beyond enrollment and graduation rates, institutions can make more informed decisions that strengthen student success and advance equity across campus.

Read the full story:

Two of the country’s largest community college advocacy organizations are throwing their support behind a Senate bill they say could reshape how the nation tracks student outcomes. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) are ba...

07/29/2026

Drawing on research and insights from American Psychological Association, Joan Meier, Danielle Hawkes, The George Washington University Law Schooll, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

and Utah State Bar, this feature examines why law schools must better prepare future attorneys and judges to understand child development, trauma, coercive control, family violence, and the realities behind custody disputes.

Could transforming legal education lead to better outcomes for children and families?

Read Misty Evans’ full story in our July/August 2026 digital issue:
https://insightintoacademia.com/wp-content/media/digitalissues/julyaugust2026/index.html

07/24/2026

America says college costs too much. The data tells a more complicated story.

The rising price tag has many families questioning whether college is worth it, but sticker price isn't always what students actually pay.

Read the full story here

Americans have made up their minds about one thing when it comes to higher education: it costs too much. A new survey from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation finds that only 12% of U.S. adults think four-year colleges and universities are doing a good or excellent job of providing an affordable educat...

07/23/2026

Another UC campus is facing federal scrutiny over its admissions practices.

The U.S. Department of Justice says UC San Diego School of Medicine violated federal law by using race in its admissions process, making it the third University of California campus to face similar allegations. The university says it is reviewing the findings while reaffirming its commitment to complying with the law.

As legal challenges continue to reshape higher education, what could this mean for the future of admissions?

Read the full story:

The University of California, San Diego has become the third school in the UC system accused by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), under the Trump administration, of running an illegal, race-based admissions process — this time at its highly ranked School of Medicine. In a letter sent Monday, A...

07/22/2026

Higher education conversations don't end when the headlines fade.

Follow us on Bluesky for breaking higher ed news, research and insights, career opportunities, and the conversations shaping colleges and universities every day.

If you're passionate about the future of higher education, we'd love to have you join the conversation.

Follow Insight Into Academia on Bluesky. https://bsky.app/profile/insightacademia.bsky.social

07/22/2026

90% of professors are worried AI is hurting students. Are they right?

As artificial intelligence becomes a bigger part of higher education, a new survey reveals growing concerns about critical thinking, academic integrity, and whether colleges are prepared to navigate this rapidly changing landscape. The challenge isn't whether AI belongs in the classroom. It's how educators can use it without compromising the skills students need most.

Read the full story:

Artificial intelligence (AI) has already moved into classrooms across the country, but the people responsible for guiding its use say they haven’t been given the tools to do so. That’s the central finding of a new survey from Instructure, the education technology company behind the Canvas learni...

07/21/2026

If HBCUs have been producing world-class research for decades, why is only one HBCU recognized as an R1 research institution?

A new coalition, led by institutions including Howard University and supported through a partnership with Harvard University, is working to change that by expanding research collaboration, funding opportunities, and national recognition.

Read this story and more in our new July/August issue of Insight Into Academia: https://lnkd.in/ebSWqnWJ

07/16/2026

Should standardized tests make a comeback? 🎓

The debate is heating up at the University of California, where faculty are pushing to bring the SAT and ACT back into the admissions process. Supporters argue the exams help measure college readiness, while critics say they create barriers for students.

What happens next could shape admissions conversations far beyond California.

Read the full story:

The University of California (UC) is adjusting, rather than abandoning, its promised review of standardized testing in undergraduate admissions, after days of confusion over the process’s status. Reports surfaced July 13 that the Academic Senate’s Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools h...

07/15/2026

Why are colleges studying BTS?

It turns out this isn't just a story about music. It's a story about community, engagement, and what higher education can learn from one of the most connected fan communities in the world.

Discover why researchers, economists, and university leaders are taking a closer look in the latest issue of Insight Into Academia.

📖 Read the July/August issue:https://insightintoacademia.com/wp-content/media/issues/julyaugust2026.pdf