On August 7, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum titled "Ensuring Transparency in Higher Education Admissions." The memorandum directs the Secretary of Education to implement new measures aimed at increasing public visibility into how institutions of higher education (IHEs) select incoming students.
This move builds on the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Students For Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, which struck down race-conscious admissions policies. It also reflects a broader federal effort to scrutinize diversity-related practices in higher education. The memorandum signals a shift toward data-driven oversight and public accountability.
Under the new directive, institutions that receive federal funding will be required to submit expanded admissions data to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). This data must go beyond traditional metrics and include detailed information that could reveal whether schools are using indirect methods—such as diversity essays or holistic review criteria—as proxies for race. The memorandum also tasks the secretary with overhauling the IPEDS portal to make admissions data more accessible to students, families, and the public. It further calls for checks on the accuracy of institutions' data, stating, "[t]he Secretary of Education shall increase accuracy checks of submitted data to ensure the validity of IPEDS data."
The memorandum directs the Secretary of Education to "expand the scope of required reporting" within 120 days of the date of the directive's issuance. Steptoe will issue another client alert when further guidance is released.
The memorandum's implications for colleges and universities are substantial. IHEs must prepare for more rigorous reporting requirements, which may involve upgrading internal data systems and revisiting how admissions decisions are documented. They may also face more frequent and involved audits of their reported data, particularly at highly selective institutions that have been the focus of the administration's attention. Legal compliance will also be critical, as the memorandum makes clear that failure to submit accurate and timely data could result in enforcement actions under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
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