The Career Sip: Your Weekly Dose of Higher Ed Hustle!
Welcome back to your go-to spot for the buzz in higher education career development, where the coffee is always strong and the news always fresh.
Dive into this week's Career Sip for the latest in higher ed strategies, career development tips, and a surprising fun fact that'll leave you craving more!
Don't miss out—read till the end!
Latest News in Higher Ed
Colleges Brace for Financial Uncertainty Amid Policy Shifts
As the Trump administration moves to slash federal spending, colleges and universities across the U.S. are taking precautionary financial measures, implementing hiring freezes, budget cuts, and tightened spending policies. Institutions like Northwestern University, North Carolina State University, and Washington State University have already announced reductions in expenses, while MIT is preparing for a potential loss of over $100 million in federal funding due to proposed restrictions on indirect costs for research grants.
Beyond budget concerns, federal policy changes are already impacting key educational programs. Two tribal colleges—Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute—are losing up to 30% of their faculty and staff due to federal layoffs. Meanwhile, land-grant university research labs that rely on USAID funding face shutdowns, with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign closing its Soybean Innovation Lab in April. Additionally, the University of St. Thomas lost a $6.3 million grant that funded special-education master’s scholarships, a casualty of the administration’s efforts to dismantle DEI initiatives.
The higher education sector is also bracing for a potential government shutdown on March 14, with Congress still debating a $1.5 trillion federal budget cut and new policies that could impose financial penalties on institutions based on student loan repayment rates. With funding for research, student aid, and institutional support at risk, universities must navigate an increasingly volatile landscape—making financial resilience, alternative revenue strategies, and advocacy for federal funding more critical than ever.
What are we reading this week?
Book Recommendations
Understanding workplace dynamics and global communication is more critical than ever, especially for career services professionals guiding students into an increasingly interconnected job market. That’s why this week, we’re diving into The Culture Map by Erin Meyer, a must-read for anyone navigating cultural differences in professional environments.
Meyer breaks down how people from different countries communicate, give feedback, build trust, and make decisions, revealing the often-overlooked nuances that can make or break professional relationships. Whether you're advising students on working in international teams, preparing them for global job opportunities, or helping them develop cultural intelligence, this book provides practical insights to bridge cultural gaps.
For career advisors, The Culture Map is a valuable tool for coaching students on cross-cultural communication, workplace adaptability, and global leadership—all essential skills for thriving in today’s workforce. Add this one to your reading list and start decoding the unwritten rules of working across cultures!
Tech
Cybersecurity on Campus: Why Higher Ed Must Step Up Its Game
With cyberattacks on the rise, colleges and universities are scrambling to protect their networks—but the challenge is growing as students bring more complex, unregulated devices onto campus. A recent EDUCAUSE Horizon Report warns that traditional security models can’t keep up with AI, IoT devices, and cloud-based threats, leaving institutions vulnerable to ransomware attacks, data breaches, and network shutdowns. The report emphasizes that higher ed, often slow to adapt, must rethink its cybersecurity strategy to avoid costly disruptions.
One of the biggest concerns? Students and faculty unknowingly introducing malware through personal devices, outdated software, or phishing scams. Experts recommend shifting the focus from securing "the perimeter" (every single device accessing the network) to protecting institutional data itself. Implementing zero-trust security models, strict data loss prevention policies, and cloud-based security solutions can help universities stay ahead. For example, San Diego State University has leveraged Amazon Web Services to create secure research environments, setting a precedent for other institutions.
Education is also key—students often aren’t aware of cybersecurity risks, making awareness campaigns essential. Some schools, like California State University, Monterey Bay, are taking creative approaches, from gamified cybersecurity training to student-led panel discussions. With AI rapidly evolving both as a security tool and a threat, universities must balance innovation with strong defenses. Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue anymore—it’s an institutional priority that impacts student success, research integrity, and overall campus operations. The question now is: Are universities ready to step up?
Fun
Meme of the Week
Latest in Career Development
Employees Are Willing to Quit Over Rigid Work Policies
The battle over flexible work isn’t going anywhere—and if anything, it’s intensifying. A study from United Culture uncovered a stark reality: 57% of employees would consider leaving their jobs if their flexibility was restricted, and 14% say they would definitely quit. At a time when more organizations are demanding full-time office returns, there’s a clear disconnect between employer expectations and employee needs.
For career services professionals, this shift has major implications. As we prepare students and alumni for the workforce, it’s essential to help them navigate this evolving landscape. Work-life balance (43%) and flexibility (27%) ranked as the most valued job factors in the survey, meaning career advisors should guide students to prioritize companies that align with their expectations. However, 27% of employees who work flexibly say they’ve been passed over for promotions or career opportunities—a red flag for younger professionals who don’t want to sacrifice growth for flexibility. Millennials and Gen-Z are feeling this the most, with 37% of 25-34-year-olds and 42% of 35-44-year-olds reporting being overlooked.
The takeaway? Students need to advocate for themselves in hybrid and remote environments.?
Encourage them to showcase impact over presence—tracking measurable contributions, staying visible in company conversations, and proactively seeking mentorship and career development opportunities. Employers who fail to reward productivity over presenteeism will struggle to retain talent, and organizations that embrace flexibility without career trade-offs will be the real winners in 2025.?
Career services teams play a key role in helping students assess work cultures, negotiate flexible work terms, and build careers that don’t compromise growth for convenience.
Opportunities
Job Opening in Higher Education
Looking for your next career move in higher ed? Here are some exciting opportunities to make an impact in career services and student engagement:
Learn something new
The Fun Fact of the Week
The Hidden Power of the "Weak Tie" in Networking
Did you know that you're more likely to land a job through a distant acquaintance than a close friend?
A study by sociologist Mark Granovetter found that "weak ties"—casual acquaintances, former classmates, or distant colleagues—are actually the most powerful connections when it comes to job opportunities. Why? Because your close friends tend to know the same people and opportunities as you do, while weak ties have access to new information, industries, and job openings that haven't hit the public yet.
So the next time you're coaching students or alumni on networking, remind them: their best career lead might not come from their best friend, but from that LinkedIn connection they haven’t talked to in a year.
Perfect small talk for an elevator ride, right?
That's a wrap for this week's The Career Sip. Keep brewing your career development strategies, and we'll be back next week with another steaming cup of higher ed updates.
Stay caffeinated, my friends!