Department insists on evidence that schools are avoiding racially biased enrollment practices
The Department of Education, under the leadership of Secretary Linda McMahon, has announced a new auditing process for college admissions, aimed at increasing transparency and enforcing the prohibition of race-based preferences in admissions following the Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action in 2023 [1][3].
This policy requires colleges that participate in federal student loan programs to report expanded admissions data, including applicants' race, sex, standardized test scores, GPAs, and other applicant characteristics to the U.S. Department of Education [1][3]. The administration hopes to identify if schools continue to use race as a factor despite the ban, particularly through proxies like diversity statements [1][3].
Schools have already adjusted policies post-affirmative action ban, often collecting racial data only after enrollment via optional surveys. The new reporting requirements are more comprehensive and could potentially expose discrepancies [3]. However, critics argue that only about 15% of colleges are selective, yet the rule applies broadly to all receiving federal aid, potentially burdening many institutions without clear benefit [3].
The data collected will include quantitative measures of applicants' and admitted students' academic achievements such as standardized test scores, GPAs, and other applicant characteristics [1]. The Department of Education has directed the National Center for Education Statistics, responsible for collecting and publishing a variety of types of data from educational institutions in the U.S., to collect these admissions data [1].
The new initiative comes after the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on the Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) case against Harvard that resulted in a rejection of the use of race as a factor in college admissions [1][3]. The Trump administration has also been investigating universities over alleged discrimination in hiring practices. George Mason University and the University of California are among those being investigated [1].
The initiative is not just about finding instances of civil rights violations in college admissions but also providing full transparency into college admissions practices [1]. Secretary McMahon emphasized that the Trump Administration will not allow institutions to discriminate against students based on their skin colour [1].
The scrutiny extends beyond college admissions as Trump has also been cracking down on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in educational institutions. Many universities have abandoned DEI programs due to Trump's crackdown [1]. Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Harvard alumnus, discussed the college being referred to the DOJ for an antisemitism violation on 'The Bottom Line' [1].
The implementation of this new auditing process is expected to influence universities to carefully monitor and justify their admissions criteria. However, practical and legal challenges regarding data collection and institutional impact remain [1][3][4]. The initiative is currently facing ongoing scrutiny and legal challenges, reflecting heightened tensions over diversity policies in higher education [3].
[1] The New York Times [3] The Washington Post [4] The Wall Street Journal
- The Department of Education's new auditing process for college admissions, focused on increasing transparency and enforcing the prohibition of race-based preferences, extends beyond general news, affecting areas such as education-and-self-development and politics, as it questions the fairness of admission practices and the role of diversity in institutions.
- As the Trump administration scrutinizes university admissions and diversity initiatives, politics and education-and-self-development intersect, sparking debates about civil rights, affirmative action, and the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in higher education, with varying opinions from supporters and critics alike.
