Off-campus complexes are getting larger, with some being home to more than 1,500 students, and being built on prime parcels of land as close to campus as possible.

N.C. State closed Poe Hall in November after toxic chemical testing revealed PCB levels 38 times higher than what is deemed safe for humans.

In the past week, Colby College, and Colorado College announced they had received historic private gifts of $50 million and $18 million, respectively.

The Education Department will limit verification of aid applications and reduce program reviews to let institutions focus on students. The U.S. Education Department is relaxing a number of requirements so that colleges and universities dealing with delayed student financial aid information can better focus on processing aid applications and delivering aid packages to students. The department announced today that it will reduce the proportion of financial aid forms it reviews for potential inaccuracy, suspend all new reviews of colleges’ compliance with financial aid rules and offer institutions flexibility in their applications to renew their eligibility to access federal financial aid programs.

Colorado College president L. Song Richardson is stepping down in order to “fully engage” in national debates in a way she feels unable to do in her current role. After three years as president of Colorado College, L. Song Richardson is stepping down to focus on scholarly work. She noted in her resignation announcement last week that she feels constrained by the position and wants to fully engage in robust debate about hot-button national social issues.