The World of Higher Education The Annual Kelchen Review: The Top 10 U.S. Higher Ed Stories in 2025
Dec 11, 2025
Robert Kelchen, a renowned higher-education researcher, joins host Alex Usher to review 2025's biggest stories in American higher education. They explore the implications of fluctuating state funding, rising athletic budgets, and the government's attempts to reshape the Department of Education. The discussion highlights challenges in international student enrollment, evolving DEI policies, and the impact of AI on campus dynamics. Kelchen also analyzes significant legislative changes like the One Beautiful Bill Act and the contentious Higher Education Compact from the Trump administration.
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Athletics Drive Rising Campus Costs
- Athletic spending continues to surge, with some institutions running $200 million budgets and costly coach buyouts.
- New pay-for-play settlements add roughly $20 million a year for big programs, pushing costs onto donors or students.
DEI Oversight And Burdensome Data Requests
- The federal government targeted DEI and admissions via executive actions and proposed detailed new data collections.
- Institutions worry the requests will be burdensome, privacy-risky, and used to penalize changes in enrollment patterns.
Prepare For Shadow Docket Outcomes
- Expect legal challenges but note many actions proceed via the shadow docket and district courts first.
- Institutions should prepare for extended litigation and inconsistent judicial outcomes.