Speculation that the Donald Trump administration may revive efforts to
reshape higher education has reignited concerns across U.S. universities, with
scholars arguing the president has achieved far less influence over the sector
than he intended. Analysts say renewed attention on accreditation and voluntary
governance agreements signals a renewed push under Trump higher education
reforms, even as the administration faces mounting political distractions
elsewhere.
Academics believe universities are bracing for another wave of policy
pressure as Trump seeks to regain control of the national narrative.
The US Department of Education recently established a new committee
tasked with rewriting the federal accreditation handbook, a move officials
argue is necessary to overhaul what they see as a closed and ideologically
skewed system.
Undersecretary of Education Nicholas Kent described accreditation as
“the central nervous system of higher education,” arguing that reform is
essential to correcting what he characterized as entrenched institutional bias.
The department claims current accreditation structures protect established
institutions and encourage ideologically driven initiatives.
Critics, however, view the effort as part of broader Trump higher
education reforms aimed at exerting political influence over academic
governance.
Leon Botstein, the president of Barnard College, said that while
accreditation is important for keeping academic standards high, it can also be
used for political purposes.
Botstein said, "The accreditation system has many benefits, but it
is easy to misuse." He warned that accrediting bodies might feel pressure
to uphold ideological standards that are in line with the administration's
goals. "That's completely possible. I don't think this government can do
anything.
Botstein also said that colleges and universities that hope the
president will stop focusing on education because of tensions abroad and unrest
at home may be let down.
Some academics thought that Trump would lose interest in education
policy after protests in Minneapolis over the deaths of U.S. citizens while
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were on duty.
But people who watch say that when the president is having a hard time
politically, he often makes cultural and institutional fights worse instead.
Botstein said, "It's hard to guess what a president will do when he wants
to be in the news all the time." He also said that Trump's political base
is still against higher education.
This dynamic has fueled expectations that Trump higher education reforms
will remain a focal point.
According to reporting by The New York Times, the administration is
preparing a second attempt to persuade universities to sign a voluntary
governance compact. The earlier version of the proposal gained traction with
just one institution, New College of Florida.
“I don’t think the first time was a success,” Botstein said. “Its
largest impact was creating a climate of fear and self-censorship.” He compared
the strategy to tactics used by authoritarian governments to influence
independent institutions without direct control.
Andrew Moran, professor of politics and international relations at
London Metropolitan University, said he expects higher education to remain a
priority target in the coming year.
He called accreditation reform a "extra tool" after funding
threats and voluntary agreements didn't work very well. "This is part of a
never-ending psychological war against universities," Moran said. He also
said that new accrediting bodies could bring ideological bias and hurt the
independence of institutions.
People are still worried about how much power these groups would have and where
the lines would be drawn.
David Kirp, a retired professor at the University of California,
Berkeley, said that Trump has a long history of changing the subject when he
faces political problems.
Kirp said, "He's very good at changing the subject when he gets in
trouble." He was talking about how the focus on education has returned
after criticism of immigration enforcement.
As universities prepare for potential regulatory changes, scholars warn
that Trump higher education reforms may not transform the sector structurally,
but could still reshape academic behavior through uncertainty, pressure, and
prolonged confrontation.
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