Students aren’t the only ones in academia using AI for writing. According to recent research, there’s evidence that many new research papers are being written by large language models and that these AI models are not doing the best job. “In theory, [large language models] should make writing better,” says the study’s lead, Thomas Walther of the Utrecht University School of Economics, “But after the first couple of tests we ran, we found the complete contrary to that."

Pitt humanities professors are noticing an apparent decline in student literacy, with many students struggling to engage deeply with assigned texts. Liann Tsoukas from the history department reported a need to reduce reading assignments and alter teaching strategies due to students' decreased focus and engagement. Jennifer Waldron from the English department noted that students arrive at college less prepared for close reading, in part because high schools increasingly use film adaptations and summaries instead of full texts. These trends are prompting faculty to rethink their approaches to reading and assessment.

The Women in Science and Engineering program at the University of Arizona is working to address the confidence gap among female STEM students. Through mentorship, research opportunities and community-based initiatives, WISE aims to combat imposter syndrome and support women's success in male-dominated fields. The program has shown positive results, with 74% of mentees feeling confident about pursuing professional development opportunities after participating.

Dual enrollment programs have seen growth in recent years, transforming from a niche offering into a major component of public education. According to recent data, 1.19 million US high-school students were enrolled in college courses last fall. Community colleges play a vital role, serving about 71% of these students. This expansion demonstrates that dual enrollment is a scalable system reshaping pathways from high school to college.