Trump's executive order on accreditation stirs allegations of politics in academia

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order on accreditation, which has raised concerns among educational organizations. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) view this move as an attempt to consolidate federal control over academic institutions, potentially compromising academic freedom and quality.

Accreditation has long played a vital role in ensuring the quality of education in the United States. Its current form dates back to reforms in response to diploma mills exposed after the 1944 GI Bill. It was further formalized under the 1958 National Defense Education Act and remains a key component of the Higher Education Act. Accreditation is critical for institutions to receive federal funding, acting as a safeguard against fraud such as that seen with entities like Trump University.

The new executive order could dismantle the strong accreditation system, according to the AFT and AAUP. It threatens accrediting agencies with decertification and facilitates the establishment of new accrediting bodies, potentially leading to agencies that might adhere more closely to the administration's political interests. This situation could result in a fragmented accreditation framework, increasing the chances of fraud and reducing overall educational quality.

AAUP President Todd Wolfson expressed concern: “Trump’s goal is to manipulate accreditors in order to force colleges and universities to do his bidding and punish them when they resist. He is weaponizing the accreditation process to gain the leverage he seeks. This order is yet another example of the Trump administration’s attempts to control American higher education. The stated goal of increasing ‘intellectual diversity’ is code for a partisan agenda that will muzzle faculty who do not espouse Trump’s ideological agenda. The order will upend protections for students and degrade their experience on campus.”

Similarly, AFT President Randi Weingarten criticized the order: “Accreditation should be based on the quality of a college or university’s academic standards and support for students, not on whether a politician agrees with a school or professor’s ideology. That’s part of what made U.S. universities the envy of the world.”

Weingarten further stated, “President Trump’s new executive order appears to violate this. He appears to be saying that he alone can determine what our colleges can teach and what students can learn. This is a fundamental attack on free expression and free enterprise. It is a war on knowledge, and we will fight it.”

Both organizations argue that the executive order could instead lead to "rampant corruption and political interference," moving farther from the principles that have underpinned the integrity of American higher education.