The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will hear an expedited appeal of a legal challenge that could force major changes in how the National Collegiate Athletic Association conducts big-time college sports, USA Today reported. Read more...

The inflation rate calculated specifically for higher education institutions was 3 percent for the fiscal year that ended for most colleges this summer. That's nearly double inflation rate of the previous year, according to a new report by the Commonfund Institute. The Higher Education Price Index includes salaries, fringe benefits, "miscellaneous services," utilities, supplies and materials. Read more...

By Bea Awoniyi and Stephan J. Smith. Recently there has been much debate about the proposed TEACH Act.  As the landscape in higher education has evolved, and most educational opportunities now require use of  electronic and information technology, institutions have been left without an effective structure for taking access for all into account. Currently, institutions have only lawsuits and enforcement actions to guide them; the point of the TEACH Act is to pave the way for consistent national guidance. The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) supports the proposed legislation and seeks to clarify a few points. Read more...

By Ry Rivard. During the annual meeting of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, admissions officials from several colleges laid out how they used students’ “demonstrated interest” to make admissions decisions. The concept of demonstrated interest isn't new — and colleges have long been wary of applicants who might not be serious — but its role has grown in a significant way. Read more...

By Michael Stratford. Colleges with large populations of low-income students have for months worried that their former students' high rates of default on student loans would eliminate their access to student aid under stricter federal standards that fully take effect this year. Read more...

By Michael Stratford and Paul Fain. After increasing for years, the rate at which students default on their loans several years after leaving college has ticked down slightly across all sectors of higher education, the U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday. Read more...