ReformingAccreditationtoStrengthen HigherEducation
DateIssued:April23,2025
Topic:Education
WHATDOESTHISEXECUTIVEORDERDO?
Thisexecutiveorderseekstooverhaulthehighereducation accreditationsystemwhileeliminatingwhatitdefinesasunlawful, discriminatorypracticesembeddedindiversity,equity,andinclusion (DEI)standards.Itarguesthataccreditorshavefailedintheir responsibilitytoensurethatcollegesanduniversitiesprovidea meaningfuleducation,citingpoorgraduationrates,studentdebt burdens,andlowpost-graduateearnings.
Theorderassertsthatcertainaccreditingagencies,liketheAmerican BarAssociation’s(ABA)CouncilandtheLiaisonCommitteeonMedical Education,haveembeddedDEIrequirementsintotheirstandardsfor accreditation,pressuringinstitutionsintoadoptingracialandgenderbasedcriteriainwaysthatviolatefederallawandrecentSupremeCourt decisions,suchasStudentsforFairAdmissionsv.Harvard,whichruled thatracecannotbeusedasafactorincollegeadmissions.
Theordersetsnewaccreditationprinciplesemphasizingacademic excellence,measurablestudentoutcomes,institutionalaccountability, andacademicfreedom.Itcallsforreducingbarriersthatlimitinnovation inhighereducationandsupportstherecognitionofnewaccrediting agenciestoincreasecompetitionandflexibility.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
ThisexecutiveorderauthorizestheSecretaryofEducationtohold accreditingagenciesaccountablebydenying,monitoring,suspending,or terminatingtheirrecognitionstatus.ItspecificallysinglesouttheABA’s CouncilandtheLiaisonCommitteeonMedicalEducationbasedon concernsabouttheenforcementofrace-consciousstandardsin admissionsandhiring.
TheorderjointlytaskstheAttorneyGeneralandtheSecretaryof Educationwithinvestigatingandtakingappropriateactiontoaddress unlawfuldiscriminationbyAmericanlawschoolsandevaluatingthe statusofaccreditors.
TheorderdirectstheAttorneyGeneralandtheSecretaryofEducation,in consultationwiththeSecretaryofHealthandHumanServices,to investigatepotentialunlawfuldiscriminationbymedicalschools, assessingwhethertosuspendorterminatetherecognitionoftheir accreditingbodies.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Theordercriticizesaccreditationstandardspromotingracialdiversityas inherentlydiscriminatoryandlegallyquestionable.Indoingso,itweakens supportfortherecruitmentandretentionofunderrepresentedgroups, includingBlackstudentsandfaculty.Italsoshiftsinstitutionalpriorities awayfromaddressingsystemicdisparitiesinaccessandoutcomesfor Blackstudentsinhighereducation.
TheeliminationofDEIstandardscouldreduceinstitutionalincentivesto addressstructuralinequalitiesandreducetheabilityofaccrediting bodiestoenforcediversitygoalstiedtoraceorethnicity,whichhave historicallysupportedinclusiveeducationefforts.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
TheracialandethnicmakeupofstudentsatABA-accreditedlawschools isbecomingmorealignedwiththatofthebroaderU.S.population,butkey disparitiespersist.Accordingtothemostrecent2022U.S.CensusBureau data,BlackAmericanscompriseapproximately14.4%ofthepopulation, butonly8.3%ofstudentsenrolledinABA-accreditedlawschoolsidentify asBlack.Thisgapmarksoneofthemostsignificantinstancesof underrepresentationamongallracialandethnicgroupsinlegal education.Meanwhile,thenumberofBlacklawyersintheprofessionhas remainedstagnantoverthepastdecade.AccordingtoarecentABA survey,Blacklawyersmadeupjust5%ofthelegalprofessioninboth2014 and2024,underscoringthepersistentbarrierstoentryandadvancement inthefield.Whiletheexecutiveorderseekstoreformhighereducation accreditationbyremovingwhatitdefinesasdiscriminatoryDEIstandards andholdinginstitutionsaccountableforeducationaloutcomes,it undermineseffortstocloserepresentationgapsinthelegalprofession.
RecentdatafromtheAmericanMedicalAssociationshowstroubling trendsforBlackstudents.From2022to2023,BlackapplicantstoU.S. medicalschoolsdeclinedby4.3%.Inthe2023–2024academicyear,Black studentsmadeupjust10%offirst-yearmedicalstudents,comparedto 51.4%ofWhitestudents.Meanwhile,only5.7%ofphysiciansidentifyas Black,highlightingapersistentgapbetweenthemedicalworkforceand thecommunitiesitserves.Asthehealthcaresystemgrappleswith workforceshortagesandaimstodeliverequitablecare,ensuringthatthe physicianpipelinereflectsthediversityofthepopulationismoreurgent thanever.Reversingthesetrendswillrequiresustainedcommitment, targetedinvestment,andaccountabilityacrosstheeducationaland medicalsectors,goalsthatthisexecutiveorderdoesnotdirectlyaddress andmayevenunderminebyweakeningDEIframeworksthatpromote equityandrepresentation.
HOWARECBCMEMBERSRESPONDING?
TheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)haspromotedpoliciesthat increaseeducationalopportunitiesforBlackcommunitiessinceits inception.InJanuary2025,CBCChairRep.YvetteD.Clarke,issuedthe followingstatementonbehalfofthecaucusinresponsetoPresident Trump’sexecutiveorderdismantlingdiversity,equityandinclusion initiativesinthefederalgovernment.
“SincetheconservativesupermajorityontheU.S.SupremeCourtruled torollback60yearsofprecedentandendrace-consciousadmission programsoncollegecampuses,MAGARepublicanshavesettheir sightsoncuttingoffaccesstoeconomicopportunityforBlackand minoritycommunitiesinthefederalgovernment,oncollege campuses,andincorporateAmerica.Thisexecutiveorderisnothing shortofanattempttotakeourcountrybackwardanddoesnothingto helpourcommunitiesgroweconomicallyoraddressthecostsofliving forhardworkingAmericanfamilies.”FullStatement
FormoreinformationontheCBC’slegacyofadvocatingforequitable educationpolicies,visitAvoice,ourvirtuallibrary.