An article fromWeek in review: Trump administration finalizes its 4-year student visa cap

We’re rounding up last week’s stories, from Republican efforts to downsize the U.S. Department of Education to state funding cuts to Nebraska and Texas universities.

Published July 20, 2026Ben Unglesbee Senior Reporter

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Getty Images Most-clicked story of the week: 

The Trump administration released its final rule capping student visa stays at four years, a policy that has sparked outcry from the higher education world since it was first proposed last year. Under the rule, international students will have to apply for an exception from the federal government if they need more than four years to complete their studies — often too short a period to finish doctoral work. 

Number of the week: -0.4%

That’s the median operating margin at private colleges rated by S&P Global Ratings in fiscal 2025. Despite modest enrollment games, that metric has been negative for three consecutive years. While public colleges are faring better financially, they too have been under pressure from rising costs, enrollment challenges, federal policy changes and other factors affecting the entire sector.

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') ); ); ); State funding swings in Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Texas:

• Penn State University, Temple University and University of Pittsburgh will split a $10 million pool of performance-based funding in fiscal 2027. The new money — tied to metrics including enrollment, affordability and student outcomes — comes as the Pennsylvania institutions' baseline state appropriations have remained flat since 2019. 
• Conversely, the University of Nebraska System will receive considerably less state funding than expected. NU System campuses are bracing for a $36 million reduction in funding for fiscal 2027 after Nebraska’s 2026 tax revenue came up short against estimates. The system’s flagship in Lincoln is already planning budget cuts to address its $13.9 million shortfall. 
• Similarly, Texas officials instructed state agencies — which includes public universities — to factor in a 3% cut to their base appropriations when submitting budget requests for fiscal 2028 and 2029. The reductions seek "to preserve Texas’ competitive advantage" and fund other state priorities, including property tax cuts, state leaders said in a Tuesday letter.

House Republicans join the push to dismantle the Education Department:

• On Wednesday, the House Education and Workforce Committee approved 10 Republican-led bills aimed at “right sizing” and eventually closing the U.S. Department of Education. The bills would codify many interagency agreements the department already has in place to outsource core education-related functions to other branches of the government. 
• The committee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Bobby Scott, slammed the bills, saying in comments they would create “chaos and confusion” in addition to “miles of bureaucratic red tape, inconsistent education policy and enforcement across the federal government, and a significant waste of the taxpayers’ money.”

Quote of the week:

“Be it Resolved, That the Academic Congress of Michigan State University lacks confidence and trust in the Board of Trustees to effectively oversee Michigan State University.”

Michigan State University Academic Congress

MSU faculty passed the above resolution by a whopping 1,199-120 vote. The no-confidence vote stemmed from whiplash announcements about MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz’s planned departure and then decision to stay in his role, as well as years of presidential turnover and open strife on the board. The board’s chair said in a statement that the vote didn’t reflect the “dedication and reliable support of the majority of the Board.

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• Getty ImagesTrump administration caps student visa stays at 4 years under final rule

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