Trump Targets College Accreditation in New Executive Order

President Donald Trump has recently signed an executive order targeting the college accreditation process, a crucial pathway for universities to qualify for federal financial aid. According to White House staff secretary Will Scharf, the current accreditation system is dominated by several third-party organizations that, in his view, prioritize ideological considerations over merit and performance in their assessments of higher education institutions.

While the specific details of the executive order have yet to be released, reports suggest that Trump intends to address what he sees as "ideological overreach" in the accreditation landscape, promoting greater "intellectual diversity" on college campuses. The proposed changes would make it easier for universities to choose their accreditors and promote competition within the accreditation field, which has generally been resistant to change despite some institutions underperforming.

The federal authorization process to become an accreditor is lengthy, obstructing new accreditors from entering the market. Historically, accredited institutions have managed to maintain their status even amid poor student outcomes. Recently, some universities that have removed certain diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have maintained compliance with their accreditors, but there is a growing push, particularly in states like Florida and North Carolina, to change accreditors more frequently.

This initiative has been paired with broader tensions regarding university funding and federal oversight; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis previously engaged in legal disputes with the Biden administration regarding the accreditation system, emphasizing a need for accountability in educational governance. Trump's initiatives could instill further anxiety within higher education, as losing accreditation might result in students losing access to essential financial aid and loans.

In a related context, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has threatened to withdraw Harvard University's eligibility for enrolling international students unless it provides records linked to the alleged problematic behavior of those students. Harvard has responded by upholding its commitment to institutional autonomy, even amid threats to its federal funding and elitism surrounding its international student base. Noem’s letter has sparked controversy, indicating a volatile atmosphere surrounding university governance and financial relationships with the federal government.