President Trump signed a series of executive orders Wednesday aimed at intensifying oversight of American colleges and the accreditors that regulate them, part of his broader campaign to curb diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in education.
One order calls for stricter enforcement of Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, requiring colleges to disclose foreign gifts or contracts of $250,000 or more. The administration cited Harvard University and other institutions for alleged violations and vowed to cut off federal funding to noncompliant schools.
Another order targets the accrediting agencies that determine a college’s eligibility for federal student aid. Trump accused accreditors of promoting “Marxist” ideologies and called for removing DEI-related standards. He urged the government to suspend or terminate accreditors that impose such requirements and to streamline the process for new agencies seeking federal recognition.
Behavioral issues have also been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is unclear how much influence the federal government will be able to have over individual school policies on this issue.
“President Trump is taking historic and commonsense action to boost school safety standards. Disciplinary decisions should be based solely on students’ behavior and actions,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon backed the reforms, saying accreditors should prioritize student outcomes like graduation rates and job performance.
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