August 8th 2025.
The current administration, led by Donald Trump, has recently taken aim at diversity initiatives by implementing a new rule that requires colleges to provide more thorough admissions data in order to investigate any potential race-based selection practices. According to NPR, Trump signed a presidential memorandum on August 7th, which expands the information that colleges and universities must submit to the U.S. Department of Education. This is the latest effort by the administration to determine if schools are still taking race into consideration in their admissions process, despite the Supreme Court's 2023 ban on affirmative action.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated, "We will not stand for institutions hindering the dreams of students by assuming that their skin color holds more weight than their hard work and achievements. The Trump Administration is committed to promoting meritocracy and excellence in American higher education once again." While colleges and universities have always been required to report data on enrollment, graduation rates, and financial aid for students participating in the federal student loan program, this new memo demands even more detailed reporting, not only on enrolled students, but also on all applicants.
The administration believes that with this expanded data, they will be able to identify schools that may still be placing a higher emphasis on race rather than academic merit in their admissions decisions. As the memo states, "the lack of admissions data from universities, combined with the widespread use of 'diversity statements' and other subtle or overt racial indicators, raises ongoing concerns about the extent to which race is still influencing admissions decisions in practice."
Trump's directive comes more than two years after the Supreme Court ruled that using race in admissions violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, leading to the discontinuation of affirmative action programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard. This was seen as a victory by conservative activists, who argued that such policies discriminated against white and Asian students. However, critics argue that race-conscious admissions have helped address historical disparities in higher education for marginalized communities.
This new memo is just the latest action in Trump's ongoing campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. This has included a series of executive orders banning federal agencies from working with companies that support initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion, which have been deemed discriminatory by Trump and conservatives. These actions have been met with criticism, especially as Black enrollment has dropped at some elite colleges.
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