Guaranteeing Openness in College Admission Procedures
The Trump Administration has issued a Presidential Memorandum aimed at increasing transparency in higher education admissions, particularly in relation to the use of race. This directive requires institutions receiving federal funds to submit expanded and detailed admissions data.
Key changes include expanding the scope of admissions data reporting through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to include data disaggregated by race and sex on applicants, admitted students, and enrolled cohorts at both undergraduate and specific graduate and professional program levels.
Quantitative academic measures, such as standardized test scores, GPAs, and first-generation college status, will also be required for each race-sex group to provide a holistic view of admissions criteria and foster merit-based admissions oversight.
To make the data more accessible, the IPEDS data presentation and collection will be revamped, making it more efficient and understandable for parents, students, and the public. This move is expected to increase institutional accountability.
Increased accuracy checks and audits on submitted admissions data will also be implemented, with remedial actions for institutions that fail to report timely, complete, or accurate information.
The memorandum aims to uncover whether race and covert racial proxies, such as “diversity statements,” continue to influence admissions despite the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that race-based considerations violate civil rights.
This initiative is framed as ensuring fairness, meritocracy, and integrity in admissions while protecting national security and taxpayer interests by preventing illegal race-based admissions practices.
The IPEDS, managed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), plays a critical role in promoting transparency in American higher education. The Secretary of Education, in consultation with heads of other agencies, will revise and overhaul the IPEDS data collection portal to improve efficiency.
The policy is aimed at ensuring confidence in the fairness and integrity of American higher education institutions. The Secretary of Education will take remedial action if institutions fail to submit data in a timely manner or submit incomplete or inaccurate data, consistent with the Higher Education Act of 1965 and other applicable laws.
The President directs the Secretary of Education to revamp the online presentation of data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and the enhanced reporting requirements will be made public.
It is important to note that this memorandum does not create any enforceable rights or benefits for any party. The Supreme Court of the United States has held that consideration of race in higher education admissions violates students' civil rights. Greater transparency is essential to exposing unlawful practices and ultimately ridding society of racial hierarchies.
[1] White House Fact Sheet: Ensuring Fairness and Equality in Higher Education Admissions [2] Department of Education Press Release: President Trump's Memorandum on Higher Education Admissions [3] National Center for Education Statistics: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) [4] Department of Education Guidance: Implementation of the President's Memorandum on Higher Education Admissions [5] Department of Education Enforcement: Investigations and Remedies for Institutions Violating Non-Discrimination Policies in Admissions
- The Presidential Memorandum issued by the Trump Administration, with the aim of increasing transparency in higher education admissions, targets policy-and-legislation changes, primarily focusing on education-and-self-development, such as the implementation of expanded admissions data reporting through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the revamping of the IPEDS data presentation.
- The policy, aimed at ensuring fairness and equality in education, involves general-news updates like uncovering potential violations of civil rights in admissions practices and fostering merit-based admissions oversight through quantitative academic measures, as mentioned in the President's Memorandum on Higher Education Admissions, the Department of Education Press Release, and the Department of Education Enforcement guidance on investigations and remedies for institutions violating non-discrimination policies in admissions.
