Federal authorities increased scrutiny of college admissions through settlements and a presidential memorandum requiring institutions to demonstrate race is not used in admissions. The Department of Education published planned IPEDS data collection details and opened a 60-day public comment period. The memorandum characterizes certain race-based admissions as "unlawful" and links race-conscious admissions to threats to national security without explanation. The memorandum's language about eliminating "shameful, dangerous racial hierarchies" raises questions about inconsistency and intent. The Attorney General issued guidance on unlawful discrimination. Uncertainty exists about how data will be collected and analyzed amid efforts to diminish Department of Education capacity.
The Trump administration has stepped up government scrutiny of college admission. Settlements reached with Brown and Columbia Universities each included a requirement that they pursue "merit-based" admission policies. On Aug. 7, President Trump issued a memorandum requiring colleges and universities to submit data to IPEDS (the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) demonstrating that they are not considering race in admission decisions. The Department of Education has since published in the Federal Register details about the planned data collection,
The Aug. 7 Presidential Memorandum Trump's memorandum calls for increased transparency to expose practices that are "unlawful" and to rid society of "shameful, dangerous racial hierarchies." For some reason, it doesn't say that all racial hierarchies are shameful and dangerous. Is that an oversight or a meaningful omission? The memorandum also asserts without explanation that race-based admission policies threaten national security.
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