COLLIN BINKLEY Education Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

Two women walk through a gate from Harvard Yard at Harvard University, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Black enrollment is waning at many elite colleges after affirmative action ban, AP analysis finds

October 23, 2025

An Associated Press analysis finds that the number of Black students enrolling at many elite colleges has dropped in the two years since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in admissions. New enrollment figures from 20 selective colleges provide mounting evidence of a backslide in Black enrollment. Many campuses have also seen decreases in Hispanic enrollment, though they have been more scattered and less pronounced. At Princeton and some others, the number of new Black students has fallen by nearly half. Some colleges attribute it to natural fluctuations. Some students say the changes are too big to ignore.

FILE - People walk through University of North Carolina campus March 18, 2020, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

Is college worth the cost? Universities work to show the return on investment of a degree

October 15, 2025

For many young Americans, deciding on college has become a complex choice. Increasingly, a main question is whether a degree is worth its cost. Confidence in higher education has dropped due to high tuition, student loans and a tough job market. Colleges are now trying to prove their value. New rankings and reports focus on the financial benefits of degrees. Research shows most bachelor’s degrees still pay off, but not all lead to good salaries. More students are choosing technical schools or trades over four-year universities to avoid debt. In response, colleges are working to align degrees with job market needs.

FILE - Passers-by walk and ride along a path on the campus of Brown University, in Providence, R.I., Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Brown University rejects Trump’s offer for priority funding, citing concerns over academic freedom

October 15, 2025

Brown University is rejecting a Trump administration proposal that would provide favorable access to funding in exchange for a wide range of commitments. In a letter to White House officials, Brown President Christina Paxson said the deal would restrict academic freedom and undermine the university’s independence. Brown is the latest university to turn down the proposal. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology backed away from the proposal last week after its president raised similar concerns. Brown’s president said the university is aligned with some of the provisions in the offer, including commitments to affordability and equal opportunity in admissions, but can’t agree to others.

FILE - The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, file)

Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement

October 13, 2025

A new round of layoffs at the Education Department is depleting an agency that was already hit hard in the Trump administration’s previous mass firings, threatening new disruption to the nation’s students and schools. The Trump administration started laying off 466 Education Department staffers on Friday amid mass firings across the government meant to pressure Democratic lawmakers over the federal shutdown. The layoffs would cut the agency’s workforce by nearly a fifth and leave it reduced by more than half its size when President Donald Trump took office. The cuts threaten disruption in areas from special education to civil rights enforcement and after-school programs.

FILE - Students walk past the "Great Dome" atop Building 10 on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus in Cambridge, Mass, April 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

MIT president says she ‘cannot support’ proposal to adopt Trump priorities for funding benefits

October 10, 2025

MIT’s president said she “cannot support” a White House proposal that asks MIT and eight other universities to adopt President Donald Trump’s political agenda in exchange for favorable access to federal funding. In a letter to federal officials, MIT President Sally Kornbluth said the proposal includes provisions MIT disagrees with, including some that would limit free speech and the university’s independence. MIT is among the first to express forceful views on the compact either in favor or against it. College leaders face immense pressure to reject the deal from faculty, students and free speech advocates.

FILE - With the Founders Library in the background, a young man reads on Howard University campus July 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Trump administration boosts HBCU funding after cutting grants for Hispanic-serving colleges

September 15, 2025

The Trump administration is redirecting nearly $500 million in federal funding toward historically Black colleges and tribal colleges, a one-time investment covered primarily by other cuts to colleges serving large numbers of minority students. The Education Department announced the funding boost days after cutting $350 million from other grants, mostly from programs reserved for colleges that have large numbers of Hispanic students. Agency leaders said those grants were unconstitutional because they’re available only to colleges with certain minority enrollment thresholds. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the changes will redirect money away from “from ineffective and discriminatory programs toward those which support student success.”

A police officer walks near the scene of the shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Charlie Kirk’s open-air debates made him a draw on college campuses. They also made him vulnerable

September 11, 2025

Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, was fatally shot Wednesday during an event at a Utah university. Kirk was known for his open and engaging approach, inviting debate from passersby with the prompt “Prove me wrong.” His assassination raises concerns about political violence and campus safety. Universities are now questioning whether more security is needed for controversial speakers. Some fear Kirk’s assassination could stifle free speech on campuses, while others see it as a call for more open dialogue. College leaders are urging a reaffirmation of free speech rights, emphasizing the importance of discourse over violence.

FILE - People take photos near a John Harvard statue, left, on the Harvard University campus, Jan. 2, 2024, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Trump administration takes first steps to restore Harvard’s funding, but money isn’t flowing yet

September 11, 2025

Harvard University says it has started receiving notices that many federal grants halted by the Trump administration will be reinstated after a federal judge ruled that the cuts were illegal. It’s an early signal that federal research funding could begin flowing to Harvard after months of deadlock with the White House. But it’s yet to be seen if money will arrive before the government appeals the judge’s decision. A federal judge in Boston last week ordered the government to reverse more than $2.6 billion in cuts, saying they were unconstitutional and “used antisemitism as a smokescreen” for an ideological attack.

FILE - Pedestrians cross University Ave on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., July 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

Trump administration cuts grants for minority-serving colleges, declaring them unconstitutional

September 10, 2025

The Trump administration is ending several grant programs reserved for colleges that have large numbers of minority students, saying they amount to illegal discrimination. In a shift upending decades of precedent, the Education Department said Wednesday it now believes it’s unconstitutional to award federal grants with eligibility requirements based on racial or ethnic enrollment levels. The agency said it’s holding back a total of $350 million in grants budgeted for this year and called on Congress to “reenvision” the programs for future years. More than $250 million of that figure was budgeted for the government’s Hispanic-Serving Institution program.

Residents from the Mount Pleasant neighborhood in Washington out in the street as Federal, and local law enforcement officer arrive to make arrest at a nearby apartment building, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Collin Binkley)

In DC, a heated standoff between police, neighbors shows unease amid Trump’s law enforcement surge

August 27, 2025

A Washington, D.C. neighborhood on edge became the scene of an intense standoff as dozens of residents vented their outrage at police officers carrying out a drug arrest amid President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in the nation’s capital. Families and children were making their way to an elementary school in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood when local and federal police officers arrived at an apartment building blocks away from the school. Neighbors flooded the street and jeered at officers. It was one boil-over among many that have erupted across the city since Trump’s police takeover.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks during the summer meeting of the National Governors Association at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Some workers would be excluded from student loan forgiveness program for ‘illegal’ activity

August 15, 2025

The Trump administration has proposed changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program that could exclude teachers, social workers and nurses if their employers engage in activities deemed illegal. The Education Department released the proposal on Friday, targeting nonprofits or government bodies working with immigrants and transgender youth. Critics argue this could turn loan forgiveness into a political tool. The proposal allows the education secretary to decide which organizations are excluded. The public has 30 days to comment before the changes take effect in July 2026. Critics call it an attempt to weaponize student loan cancellation.

FILE - This Nov. 13, 2008 file photo shows the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole, File)

Critics say Trump’s push for fairness in college admissions is leaving out legacy preferences

August 15, 2025

President Donald Trump is attempting to reshape college admissions according to his definition of merit, with an emphasis on test scores and a blind eye toward diversity. Yet the Republican president’s critics and some allies question his silence on other admissions policies that give applicants a boost because of their wealth or family ties. In recent weeks, Trump has promised a new era of fairness in admissions. But none of his measures has touched on legacy admissions, an edge given to the children of alumni, or similar preferences for the relatives of donors. Virginia’s Republican governor has signed a bill barring legacy admissions at public institutions, following similar measures in Colorado, California and elsewhere.

FILE - People walk between buildings on Harvard University campus, Dec. 17, 2024, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Harvard and the Trump administration are nearing a settlement including a $500 million payment

August 13, 2025

Harvard University and the Trump administration are getting close to an agreement that would require the Ivy League university to pay $500 million to regain access to federal funding and to end investigations, according to a person familiar with the matter. The framework for a settlement is still being sorted out with significant gaps to close, but both sides have agreed on the financial figure and an agreement could be ready in coming weeks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Harvard declined to comment.

FILE - This Jan. 28, 2019 file photo shows the entrance to the main Duke University campus in Durham, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

Trump administration freezes $108M at Duke amid inquiry into alleged racial discrimination

July 30, 2025

President Donald Trump’s administration is freezing $108 million in research funding to Duke University as the federal government accuses it of racial discrimination in the form of affirmative action. That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The person says the National Institutes of Health halted the funding to the private university in North Carolina. Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Education Department sent a joint letter alleging racial preferences in Duke’s hiring and admissions. Duke has not commented.

Trump administration wants Harvard to pay far more than Columbia as part of settlement

July 29, 2025

The Trump administration is pressing for a deal with Harvard University that would require the Ivy League school pay far more than the $200 million fine agreed to by Columbia University, according to two people familiar with the matter. Harvard would be expected to pay hundreds of millions of dollars as part of any settlement to end investigations into antisemitism, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Harvard leaders have been negotiating with the White House as they battle in court to regain access to billions of dollars in funding terminated by the Trump administration.

FILE - Students, faculty and members of the Harvard University community rally, April 17, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo, File)

With Columbia as a model, White House seeks fines in potential deals with Harvard and others

July 25, 2025

The White House is pursuing heavy fines from Harvard and other universities as part of potential settlements to end investigations into campus antisemitism, according to an administration official familiar with the matter. The government’s new settlement with Columbia University is being used as a template in talks with Harvard and other universities, with monetary fines becoming a staple of proposed deals, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The strategy was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Columbia agreed to pay a $200 million fine to regain access to federal funding.

FILE - Students sit on the front steps of Low Memorial Library on the Columbia University campus in New York City, Feb. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Trump’s settlement with Columbia could become a model for his campaign to reshape higher education

July 24, 2025

The Trump administration’s milestone settlement with Columbia promises to bring stability to a university embroiled in scrutiny. It also delivers a crucial win to President Donald Trump in his campaign to reshape higher education. And at colleges around the country, the deal clarifies the stakes for anyone weighing whether to fight the administration’s demands or concede. Trump’s deal with Columbia offers a template for his administration as more universities come under federal investigation over allegations of antisemitism and discrimination related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The settlement also raises questions about university independence as Columbia submits to closer federal oversight.

Civil rights work is slowing as Trump dismantles the Education Department, agency data shows

July 17, 2025

Data from the Education Department shows the pace at which it resolves civil rights complaints has slowed as the Trump administration dismantles the agency. The administration insists it hasn’t wavered in its duty to protect students’ rights. But a public database of the office’s resolution agreements — cases in which schools voluntarily agreed to address civil rights concerns — shows they are on track to fall far below previous years’ totals. The department’s civil rights branch lost nearly half its staff amid layoffs in March, raising questions about its ability to address complaints from students alleging discrimination based on disability, sex or race.

University of Michigan faces federal investigation after arrest of 2 Chinese scientists

July 15, 2025

The University of Michigan is under federal scrutiny after two Chinese scientists linked to the school were separately charged with smuggling biological materials into the United States. The Education Department on Tuesday opened an investigation into the university’s foreign funding, citing the pair of cases that were announced days apart in June. It said the “highly disturbing criminal charges” raise concerns about Michigan’s vulnerability to national security threats from China. The university will cooperate with federal investigators and takes its responsibility to comply with the law seriously.

FILE - Education Secretary Linda McMahon speaks during a Senate Appropriations hearing, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

How Trump plans to dismantle the Education Department after Supreme Court ruling

July 15, 2025

Education Secretary Linda McMahon is expected to move quickly now that the Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to continue unwinding her department. Monday’s ruling allows the department to move ahead with mass layoffs and a plan to outsource work to other federal agencies. Lawyers from the department have already previewed next steps in court filings. In March, Trump suggested the Small Business Administration would take on federal student loans. But a court filing in June indicated the Treasury Department is expected to take over the work. The department had also recently struck a deal to outsource workforce training and adult education to the Department of Labor.

President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

George Mason University faces investigation in Trump administration’s anti-DEI crackdown

July 10, 2025

The Trump administration on Thursday opened a civil rights investigation into the hiring practices at George Mason University, expanding a national campaign against diversity policies to Virginia’s largest public university. The Education Department said it is responding to a complaint from multiple professors at George Mason who accuse the university of favoring those from underrepresented groups. The complaint takes aim at the university’s president, Gregory Washington, saying he issued guidance that favors faculty candidates based on their diversity rather than their credentials. It marks a further expansion of the Trump administrations campaign to reshape higher education, which until recently focused on private institutions like Harvard and Columbia.

FILE - Students cross the campus of Dartmouth College, March 5, 2024, in Hanover, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Republicans urge US universities to cut ties with China-backed scholarship program

July 9, 2025

Dartmouth College and the University of Notre Dame say they’re ending their participation in a Chinese scholarship program. House Republicans have called the program a “nefarious mechanism” to steal technology for the Chinese government. Leaders of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party said Wednesday they had sent letters to Dartmouth, Notre Dame, Temple, the University of Tennessee and three University of California campuses. The lawmakers raised concerns about the schools’ partnerships with the China Scholarship Council. The study-abroad program is funded by China and sponsors hundreds of Chinese graduate students at U.S. universities annually. China’s U.S. Embassy hasn’t commented.

President Donald Trump walks toward the media to speak with them before boarding Air Force One, at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, N.J., Sunday, July 6, 2025, en route to Washington after a weekend in New Jersey. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Student loan cancellation program could become Trump retribution tool, some advocates fear

July 7, 2025

President Donald Trump is revamping the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, sparking concerns it could become a tool for political retribution. The program cancels student loans for public sector and nonprofit workers after 10 years of payments. A draft proposal from the Education Department suggests excluding organizations involved in “illegal activities,” with definitions targeting immigration, transgender issues, and terrorism. Critics worry this could disqualify hospitals, schools, and nonprofits, potentially affecting millions of borrowers. The final proposal is expected to take effect in 2026.

Republican plan for nationwide private school vouchers deemed in violation of Senate rules

June 27, 2025

A Republican plan to expand private school vouchers nationwide was dealt a major setback when the Senate parliamentarian said the proposal would run afoul of procedural rules. The plan had been years in the making. It would have created a federal tax credit supporting scholarships to help families send their children to private schools or other options beyond local public schools. The Senate parliamentarian advises against including the proposal in President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending bill. That adds to mounting problems for Republicans as key proposals are deemed ineligible for the filibuster-proof reconciliation package. The parliamentarian’s rulings are advisory but rarely ignored.

FILE - A bicyclist walks by Langdell Hall, the Harvard Law Library, on the Harvard Law School campus at Harvard University, Aug. 1, 2005, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Judge halts another Trump administration effort to block foreign students from attending Harvard

June 23, 2025

A federal judge has blocked another effort by the Trump administration to keep international students from attending Harvard University, granting a second preliminary injunction in the case. The order Monday from U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston preserves the ability of foreign students to travel to the U.S. for study at Harvard while the case is decided. President Donald Trump has sought to cut off Harvard’s enrollment of foreign students in a pressure campaign seeking changes to governance and policies at the Ivy League school.

Top US universities raced to become global campuses. Under Trump, it’s becoming a liability

June 5, 2025

Three decades ago, foreign students at Harvard University accounted for just 11% of the total student body. Today they account for 26%. Like other prestigious U.S. universities, Harvard has admitted booming numbers of foreign students in recent decades. The college has been cashing in on its global cache to recruit the world’s best students. Yet universities’ race to the top of global rankings has made them vulnerable to a new line of attack. President Donald Trump is using his control over the nation’s borders as leverage in his quest to reshape American higher education. On Wednesday, Trump barred nearly all foreigners from entering the country to attend Harvard.

COLLIN BINKLEY Education Writer.