Elite universities are opening their doors this fall amid a drastically altered legal and political landscape, resulting from a Trump administration campaign binding billions in federal research dollars to sweeping cultural policy changes.

While most students and professors were away over the summer, the administration notched high-profile enforcement victories , securing settlements from major universities that combined fines, donations, and policy changes in line with Trump priorities.

Department of Education spokeswoman Julie Hartman said recent agreements signal “the era of eroding students’ rights and lowering academic standards is coming to an end.”

“Students are returning this fall with the confidence that their nation’s highest leadership will enforce civil rights laws as

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