President Donald Trump on April 23 signed several executive orders related to higher education. One executive order, Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education, directs the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to take action against accreditors who violate federal law, including by requiring schools or programs to “engage in unlawful discrimination in accreditation-related activity under the guise of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ initiatives.” The executive order directs reviews of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which accredits Doctor of Medicare (MD) degree-granting programs, and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, which accredits graduate medical education residency and fellowship programs. The secretary of Education is also directed to continue to prioritize “intellectual diversity” among faculty, recognize new accreditors and facilitate the process for a school to change accreditors, and reduce burden in the accreditation process.
Trump also signed an executive order titled, “Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities,” which directs the secretary to work with the attorney general to enforce requirements of Section 117 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (P.L. 110-315) for complete and timely disclosure of foreign funding by higher education institutions. The House on March 27 passed the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act (H.R. 1048), which would amend this same statute to enforce more stringent foreign gift reporting. The AAMC joined a June 2024 letter with the higher education community opposing the DETERRENT Act [refer to Washington Highlights, June 14, 2024].
A third executive order signed on Wednesday, entitled, “White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” seeks to elevate the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through private-sector partnerships, institutional development, and workforce preparation opportunities across sectors, including health care. The Initiative is also tasked with identifying ways to address barriers to HBCUs in accessing federal funding and improve HBCUs’ competitiveness for federal research and development funding. Further, the executive order establishes a President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities within the Department of Education and revokes a Biden-era executive order entitled “White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”
- Washington Highlights