AGP Executive Report

Higher Ed Policy & Governance: Florida’s oversight boards advanced a plan requiring students to prove legal immigration status to attend state colleges and universities, a move immigrant-rights groups say will effectively bar undocumented “Dreamers.” Campus Safety: Police are investigating a shooting near the University of Washington campus that sent at least one person to Harborview; authorities are still searching for the suspect. Student Housing: East Mississippi Community College broke ground on a $2.5M Scooba campus housing expansion adding 24 beds. New Programs & Partnerships: New York School of Design and the University of New York in Prague launched a dual-credential fashion/business pathway starting Fall 2027; Stellenbosch University and Cape Winelands Airport signed a smart, green development partnership tied to airport expansion. Leadership Changes: Jeremiah Shinn took the helm of the University of Montana, promising easier campus life for students. Academics & Research: UC Santa Barbara’s push for a $12B California research bond failed to qualify for the November ballot, raising concerns for federally funded science; University of Minnesota researchers announced a synthetic cell that can complete a life cycle. Discipline & Accountability: Ghana’s education minister ordered dismissal of students caught selling marijuana or other narcotics on school campuses. Notable Death: Bill Wine, a longtime La Salle professor and Emmy-winning film/TV critic, died at 81.

University Governance & Accountability: VCU is tightening performance standards for tenured professors, moving from a two-year review to a one-year improvement plan that could end in termination if benchmarks aren’t met. Student Safety & Health: Chittagong University students are demanding a specialized hospital on campus, saying the medical centre lacks specialists and key medicines. Higher-Ed Policy: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law extending speech protections to public media licensed to state universities, aiming to shield editorial independence. Campus Security: South Carolina State University is ramping up football-season safety planning with student help on expectations and communications. Admissions & Scheduling: University of Mumbai cancelled July 2 exams in Palghar and Panvel due to heavy rainfall, with revised dates expected soon. Research & Innovation: VCU opened a $30M research imaging centre focused on liver disease and metabolic health, adding advanced PET/CT capability. AI & Teaching: A new report highlights how legal professionals are training AI systems—raising questions about how AI will reshape (and not replace) legal work. International Higher Ed: Doha Historical Dictionary signed an MoU with a Turkish university to expand Arabic language research and teaching modules. Controversy & Rights: Yale alumni urged the university not to settle with the Trump administration over alleged race discrimination in admissions. Campus Infrastructure: Core Spaces broke ground on Hub College Station near Texas A&M, adding 2,201 beds across two buildings.

Campus Safety: Reno’s Nevada Cares Campus stabbing suspect, 33-year-old Jaivon Simmons, is in custody on felony charges after an attack outside the resource center. Student Life & Crime: Atlanta police arrested two men in the 2022 killing of Georgia State student Joshua Igbinijesu, charging them with murder. Higher Ed Cuts & Protest: Eastern Washington University is discontinuing nine degree programs, including its Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies major, after student and faculty pushback. Accreditation Watch: University of Valley Forge faces a “show cause” order from its accreditor, with Sept. 1 as the deadline to prove compliance. Leadership Changes: Immaculata University’s president, Barbara Lettiere, will retire next summer. Research & Tech in Universities: Monash University joined the EU-funded Project CULTURAI to develop human-centered AI tools with creators’ input. Facilities & Growth: University Health in Texas approved $90M expansions for two new hospitals, while Louisiana State University of Alexandria broke ground on a $43M Health Education Campus to expand nursing and allied health training. Policy & Scheduling: Nepal’s higher education regulator rolled out a national academic calendar to standardize university timelines. Campus Culture: Kean University and New Jersey City University completed a merger, creating Kean Jersey City.

Leadership Change: The University of Buckingham named Professor Lynette Ryals OBE as its next Vice-Chancellor, tasking her with steering strategy in the school’s 50th anniversary year. Campus Safety: Chaddock School will add its first dedicated campus resource officer via a shared-funding deal with the Quincy Police Department, aiming to cut down on repeated call-outs. Student Security Protests: At the Federal University of Technology, Minna, students shut the campus gate over off-campus robberies and safety fears, disrupting tests and demanding action. Tuition Pressure: Malawi public universities hiked tuition fees for 2026/27—some doubling—sparking backlash over affordability. Online Learning Expansion: Midway University is launching an online Computer Science degree for Fall 2026, with added AI-focused skills. Rankings Watch: Sejong University climbed to 12th in Korea and 398th globally in QS World University Rankings 2027. Admissions Updates: Delhi University logged 65,343 CSAS Phase-I registrations for 2026-27, while Mumbai University extended distance MBA/MCA entrance applications to July 7. Governance & Free Speech: UVa faculty and a student podcast project are spotlighting how union rights and campus rules shape academic freedom and debate.

MOOCs Expansion: The University of the Philippines Open University opened enrollment for 25 free, self-paced MOOCs running July–December 2026 through its MODeL platform, with optional 16-hour e-certificates for completers. Academic Recognition: Montana State University released spring 2026 honor rolls (President’s and Dean’s lists) and listed spring commencement graduates, including students earning highest honors. Student Support Standards (Colorado): Colorado’s Basic Needs Campus designation now covers 17 colleges and universities, setting statewide expectations for services like food and mental health support. Curriculum Changes (UC Irvine): UC Irvine outlined 2026–2027 degree requirement updates for computer science, business information management, and psychological science, including course renames and removed specialization requirements. Teaching & Learning Innovation: Grand Canyon University professor Isac Artzi used AI to build a Torah study tool that lets users interact with long-dead Jewish scholars. Campus Tech Growth (Michigan): Oakland University’s board advanced a data center proposal into a due-diligence phase after community pushback. Healthcare Training & AI (Ohio): NEOMED launched a Master of Science in Health Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, pairing AI skills with ethical, human-centered care. Global Higher Ed: UC faculty urged California to bring back standardized testing for STEM readiness, while UA announced seven 2026 Fulbright Scholars. On-Campus Life & Access: University of Utah shared tips for finding alternate parking when lots fill up, using its interactive parking map. Local Education Updates: An Albia, Iowa school board approved a new K-12 reading curriculum and staffing changes for 2026–27.

Higher Ed Labor Tensions: Contract workers at the University of Hyderabad launched an indefinite protest over new labour laws, demanding equal pay, abolition of contract work, and full EPF/ESI benefits. University Governance: Global university leaders called for urgent governance overhauls, warning that weak leadership systems are pushing institutions toward financial trouble and weaker research. Antisemitism Rules: Australia’s universities will have to prove action against antisemitism and racism to keep government funding, with new requirements kicking in mid-July. Curriculum Overhaul: Tamil Nadu reconstituted its School Curriculum Design Committee, naming former ISRO scientist Mayilsamy Annadurai to lead a syllabus refresh. AI in Classrooms: Santa Clara University’s “AI Kitchen” brings students and industry into hands-on AI workshops, while Sumeru AI says its Mugen3D update is already being used in university teaching. Campus Expansion & Access: UNSW won UGC approval to open an international Bengaluru campus in August 2026, and Gambia launched an AIMS satellite campus for postgraduate math, data science, and AI. Campus Safety: Batangas and Negros Occidental schools in the Philippines suspended classes after online shooting threats, pending threat assessments. Credentials & Fraud: Babcock University warned of forged certificates and says it has taken legal action over alleged “First Class Upper” claims. Research Funding: The University of Toledo received NIH grants for diabetes/kidney disease and Alzheimer’s research.

Money & Early Learning: A local finance expert says kids can start learning money basics around age 3, with parents using simple grocery “price hunts” and later involving teens in real household budgeting. Healthier Food Tech: Researchers at Heriot-Watt University are working on ways to cut saturated fat in the UK’s sausage roll by swapping animal fats for polyunsaturated oils. Campus Time Capsule: Bryan Health installed a new time capsule at Bryan East Campus, set to be opened in 2076 with items including COVID-era memorabilia and lab tech. University Innovation Plans: Hong Kong’s “Northern Metropolis” push is being framed as a test of whether a university town can drive innovation with a new consortium-style model. Cybersecurity Training: Marshall University is preparing students for an evolving cybersecurity workforce through a security operations center-focused approach. Architecture Accreditation: Utah Valley University’s architecture program earned NAAB accreditation, giving students a direct path to professional licensure. Student Housing Growth: Capilano University opened its first on-campus student housing building in North Vancouver to ease rental pressure. Admissions & Curriculum: Texas and other systems continue shifting curriculum toward more Bible-based content, while schools and universities roll out new teaching models and AI-focused learning efforts. Campus Governance & Conflict: Virginia Wesleyan University faces protests over an upcoming name change to Batten University. Data Center Expansion: Kentucky’s data center moratorium is being challenged in court, while Google’s “Project Skye” details emerge and other developers expand hyperscale campuses. Academic Freedom Fight: A tenured San José State professor fired over pro-Palestinian activism has won reinstatement via arbitration and is suing.

Higher Ed Rankings: Hong Kong universities keep climbing on the global stage, with QS placing HKU 11th and CUHK 18th, plus two more schools cracking the top 50. Campus Security: Israeli forces raided Birzeit University in the West Bank, assaulting a security guard and damaging property, while the university said exams will still run on schedule. Curriculum & Culture Wars: Texas is moving to add Bible readings and reshape social studies standards, while removing a world cultures course—sparking fresh debate among parents and educators. Teaching & Policy: Japan’s education ministry issued new guidelines for nighttime junior high Japanese-language teachers to better support students with diverse language backgrounds. Student Support: A student leader in Bangladesh helped a financially struggling, meritorious student pay admission fees to Rabindra University. Campus-Community Partnerships: A U.S. city is exploring paid internships with Webster University students to plug local workforce gaps and build a future hiring pipeline. Research & Climate: Universities across Africa launched a four-year agroforestry mobility project to strengthen research and training aimed at climate change mitigation. Health Sciences: ITM-31 preliminary Phase 1 results in glioblastoma show a manageable safety profile, with all enrolled patients still alive.

Off-Campus Safety Push: The Philippine National Police urged schools to coordinate with local law enforcement before major off-campus events after the Ateneo Blue Eagles drowning tragedy, calling for security checks, emergency planning, and traffic coordination with DepEd and CHEd. University Governance & Student Voice: A closer look at student self-governance at a major university explains how “special status” groups run elections, adjudicate conduct, and manage student fees under oversight. Curriculum Battles: Nampa trustees moved to remove three potentially controversial books from a new middle school curriculum—while keeping “Maus”—after earlier bans and community concerns. AI in Higher Ed: OpenAI is reportedly building “ChatGPT for Science” for universities and research labs, while Boston College announced a new Krantz Institute for AI, ethics, and humanity. Student Costs: Universities Australia says living costs are squeezing students, urging fee-package reforms as rent and essentials rise faster than spending. New Programs: Northern State University launched a Fall 2026 B.S. in Analytics, and Sricity International University opens July 2 with a work-study dual model and AI integrated across learning. Health & Research: Japan plans pig-to-human kidney transplant clinical trials starting as early as 2028.

Campus Safety: The Philippines’ PNP urged schools to coordinate with local police before major off-campus trips and training after two Ateneo athletes drowned in Aurora, pushing advance security checks, traffic planning, and emergency response. Teaching & Learning Innovation: Sunway University lecturer Dr. Janitha Nadarajah built “US Econopoly,” an interactive board game using US-style economic simulations to make micro/macro and financial literacy easier. Higher Ed Cybersecurity: UK’s Cyber Monitoring Centre warned universities to reassess cyber resilience after a Canvas breach exposed data across about 160 institutions, even if it didn’t trigger the biggest national incident threshold. Workplace Rights in Universities: Australia’s Macquarie University faces forced redundancy claims tied to union activity, while Charles Darwin University agreed to back-pay over AU$4m to 800+ casual staff for underpayment. AI & Integrity: Brown University professor Roberto Serrano says AI cheating hit an advanced math economics exam, warning academic integrity is at risk. Admissions & Access: Delhi’s Hansraj College launched “Campus Connect” ahead of DU UG admissions, with campus tours, faculty Q&As, and stream-specific dates. Tech in Campuses: Rogers State University plans a $35m Robson Center for science and tech, including cybersecurity and robotics programs.

Higher Ed Policy Shock (India): Union government has told IIT Indore to drop plans for a satellite campus in Ujjain, effectively ending the proposal and pushing the institute to focus on expanding its main Indore campus. Campus Safety (US): After the slayings of USF students, the university is rolling out an Off-Campus Housing Network, urging property partners to adopt safety and communication best practices. Tech & Skills (US): University of Idaho will launch three AI degrees this fall and says it will embed AI across majors, building on existing AI course offerings. Tuition Relief (US): Wake Forest’s North Carolina Gateway initiative will cover tuition (and in some cases standard living costs) for eligible in-state students. Curriculum & Religion (US): Texas State Board of Education approved new public school standards that integrate biblical teachings into classroom instruction, starting in phases. Student Support (Bangladesh): University of Dhaka hosted a mental health awareness programme focused on self-confidence, resilience, and emotional wellbeing. Language Education Clash (India): BJP leaders allegedly assaulted a school principal in Nizamabad over Urdu teaching, with cases filed for intimidation and assault. Anti-Corruption Teaching (Nigeria): ICPC is working to institutionalise anti-corruption education in Nigerian universities and the Nigerian Law School. Student Life (India): Srinivas University ran drug-abuse awareness and a cybercrime session for CISF officers, plus a doubles carrom tournament for MBA aviation students.

Campus Safety & Tragedy: Two Malaysian university students died in a car crash and fire on Kuala Lumpur’s DUKE expressway ramp; police say the driver was speeding and are using DNA to identify the victims. Admissions & Costs: University of Ibadan published detailed school-fee breakdowns for Master’s/PhD Computer Science and new PhD Law students, listing tuition, exam, insurance, and development charges. Student Speech & Rights: A doctoral student is suing Indiana University and its Jewish Studies director, alleging retaliation tied to pro-Palestine advocacy and event removal. Higher Ed Rankings: A QS analysis says Hong Kong and mainland China universities are gaining ground in global rankings while many US schools slipped, driven by research funding and impact. Policy & Curriculum: Ghana’s education minister urged a TVET curriculum overhaul to add digital, entrepreneurial, and green skills for the changing job market. Campus Life & Community: University of Wyoming’s rodeo teams plan a more accessible “Welcome to Laramie Night” concert for students and the public. Data Centers & Local Planning: East Fishkill, New York, passed a three-year moratorium blocking a proposed data center campus, while Ontario’s NorthVault AI announced plans for an AI data center site.

Higher Ed Jobs & Funding: Johns Hopkins says it laid off about 110 employees, mostly administrative roles, after federal research funding cuts shrank its portfolio. Tuition & Cost Pressures: Oklahoma regents approved tuition and fee hikes at 16 public universities, while the University of Michigan raised in-state tuition 3% and out-of-state/most graduate rates 4.9%. Campus Growth & Buildings: NorthStar plans a new Beloit facility to produce actinium-225; UNSW will invest $65M over a decade for a new Western Sydney campus; NorthStar’s Beloit expansion and a data-center proposal in Beloit/Turtle also signal major local development. Curriculum Battles: Texas education leaders advanced Bible-related reading requirements and debated social studies standards that critics say unfairly target Islam. Student Pathways: Massachusetts approved three-year degree pilots at Merrimack and Suffolk. Workforce Training: Shawnee State won a $2M Appalachian Regional Commission grant to expand industrial chemistry training. Campus Life & Recognition: Emory named a new nursing dean; Indiana State’s alumni “Join in July” kicks off; Illinois State announced its 2026-27 Bone Scholars.

Campus Safety & Accountability: A 14-year-old in Tolosa, Leyte was released after police found no immediate danger in an online school-attack threat, while prosecutors filed murder and frustrated murder charges in the earlier San Jose National High School shooting case. Data Privacy: Cambridge University Hospitals launched an investigation after about 40 staff accessed a boy’s records following a crocodile-pen injury. Immigration & Access to Higher Ed: Florida’s Board of Governors advanced a rule that would bar undocumented students from enrolling in public universities starting 2027–28, with a public comment period now open. Teaching & AI: UT Austin law dean urged a more Socratic, in-class dialogue approach to protect core learning as AI use rises. Research, Tech & Infrastructure: Texas A&M touted its new VISION supercomputer as the U.S.’s most powerful university system; Schneider Electric and Motivair backed phased AI infrastructure delivery for TeraWulf’s Lake Mariner campus. Policy & Governance: Florida’s university system leaders clashed over delays in UF’s president search. New Programs & Campuses: Nigeria’s NUC recognized Taraba State University of Tropical Agriculture, Science, Technology, and Climate Action.

Campus Safety & Accountability: In the Philippines, a 14-year-old student accused of posting a school-attack threat was released after authorities found no organized plan or immediate danger, while separate reporting on the June 22 San Jose National High School shooting highlights families pushing for full accountability as charges proceed against a 15-year-old. Student Support & Inclusion: UMass Amherst was selected for Interfaith America’s Prejudice to Pluralism Campus Cohort, and Colorado’s CU Boulder, UCCS, and CU Denver earned Basic Needs Campus Designations for food, housing, and mental health supports. Campus Operations: South Carolina State University will disrupt water service for several buildings during student center construction, and the University of Iowa begins removing an unused Hawkins Drive water tower in July with weekend closures and detours. Leadership & Learning: U of T appointed Constantia Constantinou as its next university chief librarian, Seattle University named Dr. Maura Mast as its first woman president, and Clark University joined the Massachusetts Transfer Guarantee to expand affordable bachelor’s pathways. Tech & Teaching: Avatar Medical and UHealth/UM’s Miller School of Medicine start deploying Eonis Vision for patient education during consultations. Academics & Outcomes: Iowa State released its spring 2026 Dean’s List, and new research discussed in coverage points to big lifetime earnings differences by degree subject.

Higher Ed Policy: Australia’s federal parliament passed controversial university funding reforms, promising 230,000 extra places over a decade but drawing fire for higher costs and reduced student choice. Campus Safety & Rights: San Jose State University must reinstate a professor fired over pro-Palestinian activism after an arbitrator called the punishment “excessive.” Student Experience & Admissions: Delhi University says its 2026-27 undergraduate admission portal will open by the end of the week, with seat allocation via CUET’s Common Seat Allocation System. Student Success & Wellbeing: Experts argue schools should include death and grief in the curriculum so children aren’t left to cope alone. Local Education Infrastructure: Roscommon councillors approved an iROS sports campus at Mercy College grounds, adding indoor courts, pitches, and trails. Workforce Pathways: National University and Dallas College renewed a transfer deal with guaranteed admission and up to 60 credits. Sustainability & Research: Yenepoya University was recognized for sustainable education campus efforts, while the University of Florida reported a PFAS filter that removes “forever chemicals” more efficiently. Governance Watch: Florida’s university system leaders clashed over delays in confirming UF’s next president.