This Week’s Higher Education Brief
Colleges are revisiting how they serve students—across age groups, borders, and summer terms. Financial literacy, tech tools, and focused student services are gaining traction. Meanwhile, legal, policy, and funding issues continue to reshape the higher ed environment.

Older Learners Need Flexible Support: A new report urges colleges to better serve working adult learners through targeted services and credit for prior experience.
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Financial Literacy Gains Momentum: Colleges are equipping students with budgeting and debt-management tools to improve wellness and retention.
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Ed-Tech and International Support: Institutions are using new tools to streamline compliance and improve services for international students.
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Big Money Era in College Sports: A $2.7B NCAA settlement allows colleges to directly compensate athletes, reshaping the student-athlete experience.
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Data At Risk: Researchers warn of political threats to federal databases, prompting efforts to archive and preserve public data access.
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Spotlight: What Gets Counted Gets Funded—So What Are We Measuring?

From financial literacy programs to ed-tech tools for international students, this week’s stories raise a powerful question: What does meaningful support look like and are we investing in it?

One report calls attention to how much institutions spend on student services, linking high-touch support with better outcomes.
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Meanwhile, federal policy shifts could reopen doors for predatory recruitment practices—particularly targeting veterans.
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At the same time, student mental health professionals continue to flag disruption, burnout, and rising demand for holistic support.
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Summer engagement, once considered optional, is now viewed as a critical predictor of student success.
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And with international students exploring options abroad amid U.S. visa uncertainty, the stakes for engagement are global.
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These signals invite campus leaders to reflect:

Are we building the conditions students need to thrive?
Are we investing in what students say matters?
How do we track the impact of support strategies when context keeps shifting?

Success may not hinge on one policy or platform—but on how intentionally we link our investments to students’ everyday needs.

Published: June 16, 2025