An article fromWeek in review: Cuts at Johns Hopkins, PennWest and St. Louis University

We’re rounding up recent stories, from two states teaming up to create three-year bachelor’s degrees to policy and leadership developments out of Florida.

Published July 6, 2026Laura Spitalniak Editor

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Saint Louis University, seen above in St. Louis, Mo., is conducting layoffs and cutting dozens of vacant roles amid a budget shortfall. The image by Paul Sableman is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Most-clicked story of the week

State officials in Virginia and Ohio are teaming up to create a national blueprint for three-year bachelor’s degrees. Participating institutions aim to propose two programs that would only require 90 credits by spring 2028.

Number of the week: $121 million

The property improvement funds that the U.S. departments of Education and Agriculture are offering to land-grant universities and other institutions with agricultural research facilities. Each university could receive grants up to $30 million but would be required to match the funds dollar for dollar.

if (window.dfp_visibility === 'mobile' ) googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.defineSlot( '/3618/highereddive/highereddivehybrid1', [[300, 250], 'fluid'], 'dfp-hybrid1-mobile' ).addService(googletag.pubads()); ); waitToLoadAds.push(function() googletag.cmd.push(function() if (window.dfp_visibility === 'mobile' ) window.onDvtagReady?.(() => googletag.display('dfp-hybrid1-mobile')); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) var adUnitPath = '/3618/highereddive/highereddivehybrid1'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-mobile'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper #dfp-hybrid1-mobile'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') ); ); ); if (window.dfp_visibility === 'desktop' ) googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.defineSlot( '/3618/highereddive/highereddivehybrid2', [[300, 250], 'fluid'], 'dfp-hybrid2-desktop' ).addService(googletag.pubads()); ); waitToLoadAds.push(function() googletag.cmd.push(function() if (window.dfp_visibility === 'desktop' ) window.onDvtagReady?.(() => googletag.display('dfp-hybrid2-desktop')); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) var adUnitPath = '/3618/highereddive/highereddivehybrid2'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-desktop'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper #dfp-hybrid2-desktop'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') ); ); ); Big cuts at public and private universities

• Johns Hopkins University laid off some 110 employees, mostly in administrative positions, due to reductions in federal research spending. The private Baltimore institution saw a 43% annual decline in federal research funding in 2025.
• Saint Louis University, in Missouri, made an unspecified number of layoffs and plans to eliminate more than 80 vacant faculty and staff positions due to a budget deficit, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In 2024, the Catholic institution cut over 150 jobs through layoffs and eliminated vacancies, citing similar budget issues.
• Pennsylvania Western University will phase out six undergraduate and three graduate degrees, along with 34 minors, beginning this fall, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. The public institution will also eliminate 28 certificate programs and 35 concentrations, while adding new credentials intended to align with workforce needs.

Higher education in Florida

• The Florida State Board of Education banned undocumented students from attending any of the 28 campuses in the public Florida College System. One analysis estimated that the ban could cost the system $15 million in lost tuition and fee revenue. Florida's public university system is poised to pass a similar policy in the coming months.
• The governing board of Florida’s university system confirmed Stuart Bell as the president of the University of Florida, following a delayed vote and tension between UF and system leaders. Bell is the flagship's first permanent leader since 2024, and the university still faces other high-level vacancies.
• The New College of Florida formally took control of the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee's 32-acre campus last week, finalizing a proposal pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The deal furthers DeSantis' goal of making New College a conservative blueprint for higher education and has garnered strong pushback from Democrats.

Quote of the Week

“These circumstances demand exercising judicial restraint, not rushing to answer conclusively difficult questions without sufficient evidentiary development."

Sonia Sotomayor

U.S. Supreme Court Justice

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld bans on transgender student athletes playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity. In a conservative-liberal split, the majority ruled that colleges and K-12 schools can determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports teams based on “biological sex." Sotomayor wrote the minority's dissent.

Recommended Reading

• Another round of Education Department regulations is coming, official says By Natalie Schwartz • June 30, 2026
• North Carolina Republicans ban DEI at public colleges By Laura Spitalniak • June 29, 2026
• ‘Professional degree’ list is expanded. But education still didn’t make the cut. By Anna Merod • July 2, 2026
• ETS acquires ACT, consolidating two testing giants By Ben Unglesbee • June 30, 2026
• Younger workers may be falling behind in critical thinking skills By Lara Ewen • June 30, 2026

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