WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon called on colleges and universities nationwide last week to publicly outline by the end of 2026 how they will address admissions, free speech, affordability, academic standards, research integrity and other issues as the Trump administration pushes institutions to respond to declining public confidence in higher education.
McMahon directed the appeal to university presidents and governing boards, asking each postsecondary institution to publish a statement detailing reforms intended to strengthen academic performance and restore public trust.
The initiative does not impose specific reforms or regulatory requirements. Instead, McMahon framed seven areas for institutions to address publicly, ranging from admissions practices and campus speech to artificial intelligence and foreign influence over research.
On admissions, McMahon asked institutions to explain how they will make selection criteria transparent to applicants and ensure decisions are based on merit, achievement and institutional educational objectives.
The letter also presses universities to explain how they will protect free expression and intellectual debate while preventing violent or disruptive protests from interfering with classes, research, public lectures and other campus operations.
McMahon called for greater intellectual pluralism across academic departments, including consideration of how faculty hiring and evaluation practices affect the range of perspectives represented on campuses. She also asked institutions to address how federally supported research serves broader public interests.
Affordability and student outcomes form another part of the administration’s challenge. Colleges were asked how they intend to contain costs, improve pricing transparency and offer programs that provide students with sufficient economic returns to repay education loans.
Academic standards are also under scrutiny as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into education. McMahon asked institutions to identify measures for maintaining academic rigor, addressing grade inflation and prioritizing teaching and learning.
The Education Department’s framework extends to national security, asking universities how they will protect academic programs and research from what the letter characterized as malign foreign influence.
A final set of questions asks institutions to describe how their academic programs and faculty can contribute to U.S. security, workforce requirements and economic prosperity.
McMahon characterized the exercise as a “forthright conversation with the American people,” arguing that university leadership has an opportunity to strengthen academic excellence, economic opportunity and scientific research.
The request comes amid weakening confidence in higher education that the department described as extending across political parties and demographic groups. The material provided by the department did not identify the polling data underlying that assertion.
Institutions have until the end of 2026 under McMahon’s request to publish their commitments.
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