Institutions Brace For Federal Showdown Over Accreditation
Jamaal Abdul-Alim
May 4, 2026
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The U.S. Department of Education is pushing for a new set of accreditation rules that target “preferential treatment” in higher education, including race-based scholarships or programs. The proposed rules also seek to root out preferential hiring or promotion practices, a summary of the proposed rule changes shows.
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The proposed rules would require accrediting agencies to ensure that institutions “comport with the First Amendment” and support “intellectual diversity” among faculty – issues that are largely being raised on behalf of conservative or religious students and faculty who feel their views are being squelched on campus, as became clear during a recent Congressional hearing on campus free speech.
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A committee of stakeholders is slated to meet to discuss and provide input on the proposed rules from May 18 to 22.
