Faculty & Staff
Colleges made deep staff cuts while adding tenure-track faculty last year
Full-time staff at U.S. universities fell 6.6% year-over-year in 2025, and part-time staff dropped 23.9%, but tenure-track faculty grew 7% year-over-year, the largest increase since 2016.
DHS to propose end of 60-day grace period for H-1B visa holders
美国国土安全部（DHS）将于近期提出一项规则，旨在取消H-1B及类似非移民签证持有人在签证到期前失业所享有的60天宽限期。该规则已于8月6日提交至白宫管理和预算办公室（OMB），但尚未在《联邦公报》上公布。若规则生效，失业的H-1B持有人可能需立即离境，除非美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）行使自由裁量权批准其变更身份或雇主。法律专家指出，此举将增加雇主招聘难度，并可能使宽限期缩短至10天。目前，规则尚需经过公众评论等常规程序，短期内不会立即实施。
Columbia faces discrimination lawsuit from Palestinian employees and students
Columbia University faces a civil rights lawsuit from Palestinian students and employees who allege the Ivy League institution acted with deliberate indifference to harassment and actively participated in racially, ethnically, and politically motivated targeting. The complaint, filed Monday in New York County Supreme Court, seeks damages and court intervention, citing failures in handling discrimination complaints, viewpoint discrimination, and doxxing.
How Sonoma State saved academic programs slated for closure
In January 2025, Sonoma State University announced cuts to academic programs and NCAA athletic programs due to a $24 million budget shortfall, sparking protests and lawsuits. Subsequently, the university received $45 million in one-time state funding and began gradually restoring some programs. Interim provost Stacey Bosick revealed that 7 of the 19 suspended programs have returned in adjusted forms, including physics, geology, and history. She emphasized that through streamlined curricula, interdisciplinary integration, and dialogue with employers, small-scale programs can also survive sustainably.
Minnesota State Mankato to undergo layoffs, hike tuition amid $22M shortfall
Minnesota State University, Mankato announced this week that, to address a $22 million budget shortfall over the next two years, it will cut 60 positions, including laying off 17 employees, and plans to raise tuition by 6.37% for fiscal year 2027. President Edward Inch stated that the financial imbalance is structural, with operating costs continuing to rise while tuition revenue and state support have not kept pace. The union criticized the layoffs for primarily targeting frontline faculty and staff, involving only two administrative positions.