Reverberations from the war between Israel and Hamas are shaking U.S. higher education as the conflict spills out onto campuses across the nation, pitting protesting students against one another and forcing college presidents to take a stand on a conflict thousands of miles away.

Statements on the Israel attacks draw criticism from both sides. But should commenting on complicated geopolitical events be part of a college leader’s mandate?

Photo: LA Johnson

Fentanyl test strips and naloxone are more and more common on college campuses, and at least one health department has recommended they be added to school packing lists. For students who don't bring their own, many campuses are handing them out at welcome fairs, orientation events, or campus health centers.

The scene is becoming a new reality for today's college students as schools face a drug crisis unlike any other.

Professor David Hinson is part of a sweeping higher ed change shaped by a pandemic that showed professors and students the possibilities of online education, as well as its limitations. Surveys reveal that a growing number of college students now want to take some of their courses fully or partially online. Faculty members aren’t far behind.

But is higher education ready? Online teaching, after all, requires a different mix of skills and setups. Classrooms might need to be outfitted with new equipment. Instructors and students must be able to use the necessary tools.