Donald Trump to sign order requiring universities to submit admissions data on race
The Trump administration reportedly said that enough admissions data is not available, which raises concerns about whether racial bias is still being used.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a memorandum requiring universities with federal funding to submit their admissions data to prove that they are not engaging in any discriminatory practices.
Leavitt shared the news on the microblogging platform X.
The presidential memorandum, which Trump is expected to approve on Thursday, directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to expand the scope of requiring reports from institutions' admissions data to "provide adequate transparency" and "to increase accuracy checks" on that data, CNN reported.
The US Supreme Court had in June 2023 ruled that colleges and universities could not longer consider race as a basis for admission, terming it to be 'unconstitutional'. In a landmark decision, SCOTUS overturned the long-standing precedent that benefited students of colour in higher education.
Citing that there is not enough admissions data from the universities, the White House raised "concerns about whether race is actually used in admissions decisions in practice".
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McMahon will also be expected to revamp the higher education database known as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, which carries out surveys to review trends in tuition and fees, admissions considerations, enrollment and financial aid, the report mentioned.
The latest development against the backdrop of Trump's continued emphasis on policy changes at universities and colleges, including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
Just recently, two Ivy League universities, Columbia and Brown, agreed to disclose admissions and race data in a settlement with the Trump administration.
The administration will reportedly gain access to the standardised test scores and grade point averages of all applicants, including information about their race, a move that could potentially alter college admissions, The New York Times reported.
The Trump administration is pushing to bring elite college admissions offices toward "merit-based" processes, which give higher weightage to grades and test scores.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon had said while announcing the Brown deal, "Because of the Trump administration's resolution agreement with Brown University, aspiring students will be judged solely on their merits, not their race or sex."
