News

John Aubrey Douglass, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Studies in Higher Education (CSHE) at UC Berkeley, was recently quoted in E&E News regarding the significant challenges facing U.S. research institutions under new federal funding restrictions.

A new grant from College Futures Foundation will support research to improve the take-up of CalFresh benefits by students in the state’s three main systems of higher education, including the University of California, the California Community College System, and the California State University.

Steven Brint talks Trumpian dystopia, the administrator-activist alliance, and the role of higher ed’s political center.

CSHE Senior Researcher John Aubrey Douglass is featured in the top story in the first University World News Global Edition of 2025. 

CSHE Senior Researcher John Aubrey Douglass and CSHE Senior Associate Saul Geiser quoted in an Inside Higher Education article on the UC enrollment data trend. 

Are you seeking financial support for your Capstone Project on higher education? 

Joshua Patterson joined CSHE as the Assistant Director of the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium. Patterson is the primary liaison for SERU members regarding survey administration, deliverables, and data sharing--in collaboration with Etio Global. Additionally, Patterson oversees data confidentiality and access, and collaborates with members, SERU leadership and other researchers to produce technical reports, briefs, and articles based on the SERU data.

Abstract

"President-elect Donald Trump is signaling disruptive changes for colleges and universities, says John A. Douglass at UC Berkeley’s Center for Studies in Higher Education. Even as they try to manage the risk, he says, they should work to shore up public trust."

Check out the latest news from CSHE in this newsletter

CSHE recently welcomed two new visiting doctoral students: Margaret Constance de Leon (University of Toronto) and Guo Yadi (Huazhong University of Science and Technology). 

“Under Trump, higher education in the US will face a difficult future, featuring an aggressive and intrusive federal government, erosion in funding with no alternatives, a cavalcade of political litmus tests and a decline in the US’s science and technology capability,” wrote John Aubrey Douglass, a senior research fellow and research professor of public policy and higher education at the UC Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education.

In the commentary, John Douglass argues that if Donald Trump were to return to the presidency, universities could face significant challenges. Douglass highlights the potential for a "frontal attack" on higher education institutions, driven by ongoing cultural and political tensions. He warns that Trump's administration might amplify existing criticisms of universities, particularly regarding issues of academic freedom and political bias. 

Thank you for being part of our community. We look forward to keeping you informed and engaged with all that’s happening!

In September, ELA collaborated with the Blum Center and the US Agency for International Development’s Digital Workforce Development Program to enhance the capacity of Cambodian Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to meet international standards. To support the program, ELA provided a workshop for 12 visiting Rectors and other HEI partners from Cambodia.

The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium successfully hosted its 2024 Symposium, "Leveraging Data for Student Engagement and Wellbeing in Undergraduate and Graduate Education," on September 17-18 at the University of Toronto, Canada.

The California College Data and Policy Project (CCDPP) is a new research initiative that brings together University of California researchers and government partners to advance equity and improve California’s world class higher education system. 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. 

Bio: