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Considered one of, if not THE oldest University models in the world. It helped to establish the concept of academic autonomy and the granting of degrees. -
Became one of the template university models in all of Europe, and heavily influenced Oxford and Cambridge. -
Rapid growth after students were banned from attending University of Paris. Quickly become one of the most structured, respected and influential universities. -
Students originally from Oxford who settled in Cambridge to form a new school. Helped establish "Oxbridge.” -
A papal bull issued by Pope Gregory IX that granted the University of Paris the right to self-govern and strike. It is essentially the "Magna Carta" of university academic freedom and autonomy. -
The first institution of higher learning in the colonies, established by the Massachusetts Bay Colony to train clergy. -
Established the President and Fellows of Harvard College as the governing body. The Harvard Corporation remains the oldest chartered corporation in the Western Hemisphere still in existence. -
Founded by Royal Charter to educate Anglican ministers and move higher education beyond the Puritan stronghold of Boston. -
The Great Awakening sparked a race among religious denominations to establish their own colleges (Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Rutgers, Dartmouth). -
Franklin argued for a practical curriculum over the traditional classical model. This vision directly led to the founding of the Academy of Philadelphia (later UPenn). -
West Point was established by Thomas Jefferson to create a domestic corps of engineers and officers. It represented the first significant federal involvement in higher education and technical training. -
The Supreme Court ruled that a college charter is a private contract that the state cannot arbitrarily alter. This decision secured the survival and autonomy of private colleges against state takeover. -
A defense of the classical curriculum against calls for practical reform. -
Oberlin was the first college in America to adopt a policy to admit students regardless of race and the first to grant degrees to women. -
Founded as a female seminary in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest of the “Seven Sisters” of historic all-women’s colleges. -
American scholars studying in Germany brought back the German university model to the United States, prioritizing research, graduate studies, and academic freedom. -
The Morrill Land Grant Act was federal legislation that granted public land to states to finance colleges. -
The first true U.S. university modeled entirely on the German research ideal, emphasizing graduate study and the PhD. -
Led to the founding and funding of many public HBCUs, particularly in the South. -
Essentially defined the “research university” and protected the coveted PhD. -
Abraham Flexner's critique of medical schools and standardized medical training. The foundation also established the pension system (TIAA). -
The federal government utilized college campuses to train officers and technicians for the war effort (WWI). It established the precedent for direct federal funding and utilization of universities for national defense. -
Officially the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, it offered tuition and living expenses to returning WWII veterans. It opened up higher education to a significantly larger population beyond members of the elite class. -
Enrollment exploded and forced the rapid construction of housing and expansion of facilities on campuses. It proved that mass higher education was economically viable and socially beneficial. -
President Truman's commission declared that higher education should be available to all based on merit, not ability to pay. -
The Supreme Court's landmark decision that separate is unequal slowly began the process of desegregation in schools. -
Signed into law by President Eisenhower. This act invested federal money into STEM and provided funding for students. -
One of the largest student protests and demonstrations at the time. Helped pave the way for many forms of student activism today. -
Established the federal financial aid architecture we use today (grants, loans, work-study). It shifted the focus from funding institutions to funding individual students to ensure access. -
Prohibited sex-based discrimination in any education program receiving federal funds. It opened the doors to professional and graduate schools for women. -
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act gave parents/family students over 18 control over their educational records. -
Expanded federal student aid and changed BEOG to the federal Pell Grant, ensuring more access to loans and work study for students. -
Established that universities, non-profits and small businesses could retain ownership for federally funded research projects they were involved in. -
The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in areas like employment and public services. -
Colleges and universities who receive federal aid are mandated to publicly disclose information about campus crime and safety policies. -
President George H.W. Bush signed updates to the Higher Education Act that further expanded access to higher education, and additional forms of federal aid to students. -
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton, the legistration restricted both federal and state benefits to non-U.S. citizens, included undocumented students' access to federal financial aid. -
The LMS used for the History of Higher Ed course was first established in 1997. Initially it was Blackboard Inc. until it merged with Anthology. -
The DMCA provides exemptions that allow for limited uses of copyrighted works for teaching, research, and distance learning, which has reverberated throughout all of education. -
One of the many systems that stemmed from the Patriot Act following the 9/11 attacks in 2011. SEVIS tracks and monitors all international and exchange students in the United States. -
Originally founded by Harvard and MIT, it is a massive open online course provider that helped popularize online learning. It evolved from MITx and other platforms before it in the mid-2000s. -
The global pandemic normalized remote learning across the United States, and turned software like Zoom into household names. -
OpenAI publicly launched ChatGPT, ushering in the early stages of the Intelligence Revolution. While its lasting impact has yet to be determined, many colleges and universities have already adopted AI policies.