ReformingAccreditationtoStrengthenHigher Education
POLICYUPDATE
OnApril23,2025,PresidentTrumpsignedanexecutiveordertoremoveDEI standardsfromthehighereducationaccreditationprocessatfederally fundedinstitutionsandestablishnewrace-andgender-blindcriteria.The orderspecificallycitestheAmericanBarAssociation(ABA)’sCouncilandthe LiaisonCommitteeonMedicalEducationasviolatingtheCivilRightsActfor includingDEIintheiraccreditationprocesses.However,thepercentagesof BlackstudentsatABA-accreditedlawschoolsandmedicalschoolsarelower thanthegeneralBlackpopulation.Forexample,lessthan10%ofstudentsat ABA-accreditedlawschoolsidentifiedasBlackin2022,andonly5%of practicingattorneysidentifiedasBlackin2024.Medicalschoolsaresimilarly unrepresentative,with10%offirst-yearmedicalstudentsidentifyingasBlackin the2023–2024academicyear,andonly5.7%ofphysiciansidentifyingasBlack in2023.Thisexecutiveorderwillexacerbatethesedisparitiesbyremoving structuralsupportforprofessionalstudentsofcolor.
Thisordercontinuesawaveofanti-DEIpoliciesinhighereducation.In2023, theSupremeCourtoverturnedaffirmativeactionandrace-basedadmissions policiesinthedecisionsforStudentsforFairAdmissions(SFFA)v.Harvard UniversityandSFFAv.TheUniversityofNorthCarolinaatChapelHill(UNC). Institutionsofhighereducationcreatedaffirmativeactionpoliciestodiversify andintegrateuniversityenrollmentfollowingthecivilrightsmovementby factoringraceintoadmissionsdecisions.However,inthesecases,theCourt ruledthataffirmativeactionviolatestheEqualProtectionClauseofthe14th Amendmentbyusingracialidentity,aprotectedclass,toevaluate candidates.SincetheSupremeCourtrulings,HarvardandUNChaveseena 20%reductioninBlackfreshmen,whichposesaseriousthreattothefutureof Blackenrollmentatthoseinstitutions.
CurrentLandscape
Eversinceaffirmativeactionwasoverturned,legacyadmissionsprocesses —preferentialtreatmentbasedonprospectivestudents’relationshipto alumniordonors—havecomeunderscrutiny.Criticsarguethatthe considerationoflegacystatusinadmissionsproceedings disproportionatelybenefitsstudentswhohavehistoricallyhadhighly educatedand/orwealthyparents.Whilesomepredominantlywhite collegeshaveacceptedstudentsofcolorsincetheReconstructionera, integratedlearningenvironmentswerenotrequireduntiltheCivilRightsAct of1964prohibitedracialdiscriminationforanyentitiesreceivingfederal funding.Asaresult,generationsofBlackstudentsdidnotbenefitfrom legacyadmissionsconsiderations.Publicsentimentisalsoclearonthis issue.In2022,aPewResearchCenterpollfoundthat75%ofAmericansdo notbelievelegacystatusshouldbefactoredintocollegeadmissions decisions.
OnMarch3,2025,SenatorJeffMerkleyintroducedS.880,theFairCollege AdmissionsforStudentsAct,whichwouldendlegacyadmissionsat collegesanduniversitiesthatreceivefederalfunding.Thebillhasbipartisan supportbuthasnothadsignificantmomentum.TheSenateCommitteeon Health,Education,Labor,andPensionsiscurrentlydeliberatingonthebill. WiththeTrumpadministration’seffortstoeliminateDEIeffortsfromhigher education,andthelackoftractionontheremovaloflegacycollege admissions,prospectiveBlackcollegestudentscurrentlyfacebarriers similartothoseduringtheJimCrowera.
