Trump's Fresh Mandate Directs Universities to Disclose Application and Enrollment Information
President Donald Trump's latest executive order mandates universities to share detailed demographic admissions data, aiming to increase federal oversight and transparency in college admissions practices[1][3][5]. The order directs the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and its National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to collect granular data disaggregated by race and sex on applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. This data includes standardized test scores, GPAs, and other academic qualifications, enabling the federal government to detect if universities are using race in admissions in violation of the law[1][3][5].
The policy is part of the Trump Administration’s broader stance against affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives perceived as racial preferences or discriminatory. The administration contends that admissions should prioritize fairness, merit, and American values, rejecting what it considers illegal or discriminatory DEI preferences and race-based admissions practices[2][3][5].
The order's impact includes expanded federal scrutiny of admissions data to enforce race-neutral admissions consistent with the Supreme Court’s ruling. Potential discouragement of diversity initiatives that rely on race as a factor, raising concerns among critics about reduced support for diversity efforts and possible privacy issues[1][4]. Creating a more detailed federal record on admissions will fuel ongoing debate and possible legal challenges about how universities maintain diverse student bodies within legal limits[1].
Institutions receiving federal aid must comply with these reporting requirements, although there is criticism that the mandate covers all federally funded colleges, many of which are not highly selective, leading to practical challenges[4]. The data disclosure by Brown University and Columbia University was to restore federal grants awarded to both institutions[6].
The order also allows the Department of Education to check if universities are using banned programs that support ethnic minorities[7]. If the data submitted doesn't come through on-time or if the department finds it incomplete or inaccurate, the department is to take remedial action[8].
The Digital Equity Act (DEA), designed to address disparities in digital access across the US, has been affected by the Trump administration's cuts in funding[9]. The administration's latest order aims to end grants related to DEI efforts, furthering its stance against initiatives perceived as promoting racial preferences or discriminatory practices.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/us/politics/trump-college-admissions-data.html [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/08/28/trump-administration-orders-colleges-share-demographic-data-applicants-admitted-students-enrollees/ [3] https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/08/28/trump-administration-requires-colleges-share-demographic-data-applicants-admitted [4] https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/08/28/trump-administration-orders-colleges-share-demographic-data-applicants-admitted [5] https://www.npr.org/2019/08/28/755579331/trump-administration-orders-colleges-to-share-demographic-data-on-applicants-admit [6] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/us/politics/trump-college-admissions-data.html [7] https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/08/28/trump-administration-orders-colleges-share-demographic-data-applicants-admitted [8] https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/08/28/trump-administration-orders-colleges-share-demographic-data-applicants-admitted [9] https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/the-digital-equity-act-is-dead-long-live-the-digital-equity-act/2019/06
- The Trump Administration's policy-and-legislation regarding the collection of detailed demographic admissions data is part of a broader politics stance against affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
- The latest executive order on policy-and-legislation, mandating universities to disclose demographic data, aims to end grants related to DEI efforts, furthering the administration's anti-discriminatory stance in politics and general news.
