The Trump administration is developing a plan that could change how universities receive research grants, with some schools potentially receiving an advantage if they agree to certain values and policies. The proposal would require universities to affirm that admissions decisions are based on merit rather than factors like racial or ethnic background, and that college costs are reasonable. Experts, however, say this approach is likely to be met with criticism from those who believe it oversteps the administration’s authority.
The new plan aims to enforce civil rights laws at universities, which some experts argue have been violated by embracing diversity and inclusion programs. The Trump administration has previously pulled funding from several top universities over issues related to admissions, hiring, and antisemitism.
Under the proposed system, universities would be asked to affirm that they are not discriminating based on certain factors when making decisions about foreign students or college costs. Some experts argue that this approach could be seen as an attempt by the administration to impose its values on higher education.
The White House claims that this new initiative will allow schools to demonstrate compliance with existing laws and provide a “competitive advantage” in applying for federal grants. However, critics say that this approach is likely to lead to a lack of institutional autonomy, ideological diversity, freedom of expression, and academic freedom.
While some experts welcome the idea of enforcing civil rights laws, others argue that it could be seen as an attempt by the administration to bully schools into adopting its policies. The Trump administration has previously faced setbacks in court over its approach to universities, and critics say that this new plan is likely to face similar challenges.
The White House hopes to launch this initiative within the next few months, with some details on how it would interact with traditional grant-review processes still being developed.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/09/28