How Trump's Plan Reshaped Colleges in New England

Big changes are happening in colleges across New England. The Trump administration has been busy making changes to higher education. They've been following a plan called Project 2025. This plan suggested splitting up the Department of Education and giving its jobs to other agencies. Many of these changes have already happened. The Department of Education has been cutting back. There have been layoffs, and the Boston office closed. This has made it harder for local universities to get help with everyday tasks. The department is also doing fewer investigations into harassment and discrimination at colleges. Plus, they're collecting less information about university students and admissions. Student loans have also seen big changes. The government has ended most income-driven repayment plans and replaced them with a new, more expensive model. They've also made it harder for some people to get their loans forgiven. On the bright side, short-term training programs can now get Pell grants, which help low-income students pay for school.There's been a lot of talk about what students are learning in college. Some people think colleges are teaching too much about social issues. This has led to some professors losing their jobs and certain programs being canceled. But in Massachusetts, things haven't changed as much. Colleges are also getting less money for research. This is hitting big schools like Harvard, MIT, and Boston University hard. They're having to cut their budgets and enroll fewer graduate students. Some colleges are even planning to offer more short-term training programs to meet the growing demand for non-traditional education paths. The government has also been targeting programs that help minority and low-income students. Some colleges have changed the names of their diversity offices and shut down cultural centers. The government has also rolled back protections for transgender and nonbinary students. Accreditors, which are agencies that approve colleges, are also changing. The government wants them to focus more on academic rigor and job placement. Some states are even creating new accreditors. In New England, only Harvard has had its accreditation threatened so far. The region's primary accreditor has also removed mentions of diversity, equity, and inclusion from its standards.