There has been a seeming sea change on the political front in the last few weeks, and it's not gone unnoticed for political scientists and strategists in the Carolinas.

Valparaiso University is arguing it should never have acquired two paintings, including a Georgia O’Keeffe, in the 1960s. It hopes to sell them to pay for dorm renovations.

The former senator from Nebraska cited the health of his wife, who has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

Eight million borrowers who are enrolled in the plan, known as SAVE, are left in limbo after a series of rulings tied to two lawsuits brought by Republican-led states.

The FAFSA fiasco set fall enrollments back, far behind targets for many vulnerable small colleges. Some are taking extreme steps to fill their empty seats. Mirta Martin spent the past two sweltering Saturdays knocking on doors in the greater Roanoke, Va., area, leaving pamphlets on porches and hoping to catch some residents at home for a chat. Two weeks ago she visited 35 homes in one afternoon. She wasn’t canvassing for a political candidate or selling Bibles; she was recruiting students for Ferrum College, the tiny institution nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains where Martin is the president.

The charges represent the latest action taken by colleges and law-enforcement officials in response to a wave of on-campus activism, fueling concerns about speech and protest rights.