"Over a thousand people crowded around UC Berkeley’s Savio Steps in Sproul Plaza on Friday (March 7) to protest ongoing or threatened cuts to federal research funds, part of a day of action organized by research scientists around the country.
Gathering in the warm sun, the crowd, bearing placards and signs in support of scientific research, heard from speakers who excoriated the Trump administration for trying to shut down one of the most productive economic engines of all time.
We are pleased to announce that John Aubrey Douglass, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Studies in Higher Education (CSHE), was recently featured in an article by the Chinese Social Sciences Net (CSSN). The article, titled "Reflecting on the Deficiencies and Shortcomings of Global University Ranking Systems," delves into the origins, impacts, and inherent flaws of global university rankings, drawing insights from experts including Douglass.
Anne MacLachlan, Senior Research Associate at CSHE, was quoted in a recent report from The Daily Californian, in response to the "Dear Colleague" letter from the Department of Education.
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.
We are delighted to introduce the two outstanding recipients of the first-ever CSHE Capstone Award! These exceptional students impressed us with their innovative ideas and their commitment to addressing critical challenges in higher education. We are proud to support their efforts and look forward to seeing the meaningful impact their work will have on the future of academia.
Read on to learn more about our awardees and their inspiring projects!
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.
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.
"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."
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.
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