(AURN News) — President Donald Trump is once again targeting federal programs that have long supported the Black community — this time through a new directive aimed at higher education.
On Thursday, the White House issued a presidential memorandum directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to require all colleges and universities that receive federal financial aid to disclose how they make admissions decisions.
In a section titled “Ending Discriminatory Race-Based Admissions,” a White House fact sheet on the memorandum says race-conscious policies are not only unlawful but also cost students scholarships and waste taxpayer money.
“In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that consideration of race in higher education admissions violates students’ civil rights,” the document states. “However, the lack of available admissions data from universities — paired with the rampant use of ‘diversity statements’ and other overt and hidden racial proxies — continues to raise concerns about whether race is actually used in admissions decisions in practice.”
The directive requires institutions to submit admissions data to ensure unlawful discrimination is not taking place and promises to give the public “a more holistic view” of how those decisions are made.
“American students, parents, and taxpayers should have confidence that our Nation’s institutions of higher education are recruiting and training our next generations with fairness and integrity,” the memo reads.
The administration claims that some colleges are still using race in admissions, despite the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling — and that the lack of transparency allows illegal preferences to persist.
Now, as federal scrutiny increases and diversity programs face renewed challenges, educators and students alike are left asking what these changes could mean for historically Black colleges and universities and for the future of Black Americans in the education system.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
