The Ed Department Hasn’t Even Begun to Fight
Jonathan Helwink
September 22, 2025
Thanks in part to Biden-era regulatory changes, the Trump administration has a powerful set of tools it could use to threaten institutional eligibility for federal student loans, Jonathan Helwink writes.
Despite high-profile federal actions against universities like Columbia University; the University of California, Los Angeles; and others over the past few months, many higher ed watchers, including me, have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. While civil rights investigations, demands for massive settlements, cuts to grant funding and threats to institutional accreditation have led to real-world consequences, no institution has lost access to federal student loans.
But—as Friday’s announcement that Harvard University had been placed on heightened cash monitoring status shows—that could change quickly. And regulatory actions by the previous administration increase the likelihood of the Trump administration’s success if they choose to flex the powers provided to them.
Without much outside attention at the time, the Biden administration developed powerful tools for the U.S. Department of Education to use against colleges. But, despite Friday’s action against Harvard, this oversight muscle has not—yet—been employed by Secretary Linda McMahon. Given an antagonistic Trump administration, colleges should be aware of possible future action and prepare for federal enforcement under this enhanced authority.
