WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced the Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act. The bill bars accreditors from forcing colleges to adopt racial or sex-based quotas as a condition of accreditation and requires accreditors to consider a school’s commitment to academic freedom. The bill aligns with President Trump’s recent executive order, Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education.
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “Accreditation should be about academic quality, not about enforcing woke quotas. My bill puts common sense back into accreditation and defends the principles that make American higher education strong.”
Peter Wood, President, National Association of Scholars: “At last, a serious attempt by Congress to repair the accrediting associations that in recent years have become cudgels in the hands of radical activists. These associations have prioritized race, ethnicity, and sex as key factors in shaping student admissions and in faculty and staff hiring in American higher education. The accreditors’ goal has been nothing less than to transform colleges and universities into enforcers of victim identity ideology. Congratulations to Senator Banks for taking the lead in restoring to our colleges and universities their freedom to focus on education, and to restore to the accreditors their only rightful mission: to warrant the intellectual and financial integrity of colleges and universities.”
John Sailer, Senior Fellow and Director, Higher Education Policy, Manhattan Institute:“Universities have lost their way. For years, accreditors have been a part of the problem, pushing our great institutions to diminish their commitment to excellence. The Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act is a necessary step toward restoring America’s universities to their proper mission.”
Sarah Perry, Vice President and Legal Fellow, Defending Education Action: “Senator Banks’s much-needed legislation, the Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act, would formally codify the President’s April 23 Executive Order and amend the HEA of 1965 to tighten requirements for formal Department of Education recognition of accrediting agencies. His bill prevents accrediting agencies or associations from imposing requirements, establishing standards, conducting investigations, or making recommendations concerning the race, color, sex, or national origin composition of the student body, faculty, or staff of any given institution for which their approval is being sought. Accreditation has long been in need of reform, and non-governmental organizations have wielded outsized influence since 1965 in crafting higher education in their own likeness–whatever their particular ideological leanings may be. The Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act comes not a moment too soon, and is a necessary step in securing value-neutral criteria in assessment of institutional applicants–something that increases the value of higher education overall. Thanks to Senator Banks, America’s students are much closer to achieving high-caliber degrees.”
Key provisions of the Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act:
- Protects Academic Freedom: Requires accreditors to respect free inquiry, academic freedom, and First Amendment rights at colleges and universities.
- Blocks Diversity Quotas: Prohibits accreditors from imposing standards based on the race, sex, or national origin makeup of students, faculty, or staff.
- Empowers Schools: Ensures colleges can set their own lawful policies without risking loss of accreditation.
- Protects Religious Institutions: Exempts religious colleges from free inquiry mandates, respecting their faith-based missions.
- Creates Legal Recourse: Allows colleges to sue accrediting agencies that violate these protections.
Bill text can be found here.
Background:
This bill codifies President Trump’s Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Educationexecutive order that was issued last week.
Sen. Banks previously introduced the Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act in the 118thCongress as a member of the House of Representatives. Then-Sen. Rubio led the bill in the Senate.
Read more about the bill here.