Examining Openness in College Admission Processes
The Trump Administration has issued a Presidential Memorandum, directing the Secretary of Education to ensure transparency in higher education admissions. This move aims to eliminate racial hierarchies in society and expose unlawful practices in the admissions process.
The directive involves consultation with the heads of other executive departments and agencies as necessary. The Secretary of Education will revise and potentially overhaul the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), managed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), to expand its data collection.
Institutions of higher education receiving Federal financial assistance will be required to submit detailed admissions data, disaggregated by race and sex, covering applicant pools, admitted cohorts, and enrolled students at undergraduate and certain graduate/professional program levels. This data collection includes quantitative admissions factors such as standardized test scores and GPAs, in line with the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling banning consideration of race in admissions.
IPEDS will undergo technological improvements to facilitate easier submission and public access to this data. The revamped system will feature increased accuracy checks and remedial actions for incomplete or inaccurate reporting. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has been directed to develop rigorous audit mechanisms to ensure consistency and accuracy across institutions.
The policy is positioned as protecting meritocracy and preventing discriminatory practices that could disadvantage hardworking students and taxpayers. The President's directive is also focused on ensuring institutions of higher education are recruiting and training capable future doctors, engineers, scientists, and other critical workers.
The Secretary of Education will make public the enhanced reporting requirements, starting from the 2025-2026 school year. The Secretary will take remedial action if institutions fail to submit data on time or submit incomplete or inaccurate data, in accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965 and other applicable laws.
The policy is a substantial expansion of federal oversight and transparency in higher education admissions, leveraging IPEDS technology improvements and comprehensive data reporting to enforce race-neutral admissions practices. However, no immediate actions or deadlines for the implementation of these changes are specified in the memorandum.
- The policy-and-legislation enacted by the Trump Administration, based on the Presidential Memorandum, targets education-and-self-development institutions, directing them to adhere to race-neutral admissions practices as part of a broader initiative to protect meritocracy and prevent discriminatory practices.
- In alignment with general-news mandates and the Higher Education Act of 1965, the policy and its expanded federal oversight in higher education admissions aim to ensure education-and-self-development institutions are recruiting and training capable future professionals, while maintaining transparency and promoting policy-and-legislation that advances education equity.
