News

Berkeley, CA - CSHE welcomed Dr. Pardis Mahdavi as the new Executive Director of the Executive Leadership Academy (ELA). 

A new working paper has been released under the California College Data and Policy Project (CCDPP)—a collaborative research initiative between the California Policy Lab (CPL) and CSHE.

Berkeley, CA - November 24, 2025 - CSHE Senior Associate Saul Geiser published an op-ed at Inside Higher Education, critiquing the use of SAT in college admissions. It was based on his recent ROPS paper titled "Why the SAT Is a Poor Fit for Public Universities."

Berkeley, CA – November 17, 2025 – The Center for Studies in Higher Education (CSHE) and the Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) are proud to announce that our colleague, Josefina Castillo Baltodano, has been named one of U.S. News & World Report's Best Leaders for 2025.

A recent report by the Inside Higher Education entitled "Beyond Tuition: The Hidden Costs of College and Their Disproportionate Impact" cited CSHE ROPS Editor and External Relations Specialist Shanshan Jiang-Brittan's research on the affordable student housing crisis. 

Harvard Crimson's article "The Return to Test Requirements Shrank Harvard’s Applicant Pool. Will It Change Harvard Classrooms?" cited recent ROPS article "Why the SAT is A Poor Fit for America's Public Universities" by CSHE Senior Associate Saul Geiser. 

Illuminate the Future of Higher Education: Apply for the CSHE Capstone Fellowship

The Center for Studies in Higher Education (CSHE) is pleased to offer fellowships for the Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) Capstone projects. We invite applications from MPP, MPA, and MDP students whose innovative projects advance the Center’s mission of illuminating higher education. 

Award amounts will be determined based on individual project needs, with a strong commitment to ensuring that Fellows are fully funded to execute their Capstone projects effectively.

The SERU Consortium successfully hosted its 2025 Business Meeting and Symposium at UC Berkeley on October 22-23. Over 60 participants from 18 universities and institutions across 3 countries attended. Topics covered include student experience in the age of AI, political uncertainties in higher education, career readiness and employment pathways, survey governance and administration, and experiences of student subpopulations.

A data point from the California College Data and Policy Project (CCDPP) shows how many low-income students in California Community Colleges and in the University of California system would lose access to CalFresh benefits if they are cut off

New data points from the California College Data and Policy Project (CCDPP)

The Project is a joint initiative of the California Policy Lab and the Center for Studies in Higher Education. The CCDPP will generate new insights and research on what works to better support California students and their families as they transition through the education system.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New UC Berkeley Report Challenges Return to SAT: Calls for Public Universities to Double Down on Public Mission

CSHE Senior Research Fellow John Aubrey Douglass weighed in on the current landscape in the American higher education

CSHE Senioar Research Fellow John Aubrey Douglass presented at a webinar at the Centre for Global Higher Education. Douglass warned that the Trump administration’s “unprecedented assault” on higher education was part of an attempt to gain more power both nationally and internationally.

We're delighted to welcome four new visiting scholars to CSHE!

Our visiting scholar program brings leading experts from around the world to Berkeley to collaborate on innovative research in higher education. This fall, we're joined by four distinguished academics from top institutions. 

On August 29, 2025, CSHE Senior Research Fellow John Aubrey Douglass delivered a keynote speech at the European Higher Education Society Forum, held at Utrecht University. His speech, titled “Universities as the Enemy: How Rhetoric and Policies are Eroding Open Science,” was a central highlight of the event.

More information about the Forum can be found here.

We're pleased to share our 2024-25 annual report, which highlights an incredible year of progress and collaboration. This report reflects our growth and the profound impact we've made together—from our latest research and expanded community of scholars to active outreach initiatives. We invite you to explore the pages that follow to see how our work is helping to shape the future of higher education.