Trump To Demand Data From Collages To Prove They're Not Using Race In Admissions

(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a memorandum on Thursday directing colleges that receive federal funding to disclose expanded admissions data, the White House said, in a move aimed at ensuring compliance with the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the upcoming directive on X (formerly Twitter), saying the administration will require universities to provide proof that they are not engaging in race-conscious admissions practices.

“Transparency” in focus

A senior White House official told ABC News the directive will task the Secretary of Education with expanding the admissions data schools are required to report, citing a need for“transparency” in higher education.

According to a fact sheet reviewed by ABC News,“The lack of available admissions data from universities raises concerns about whether race is actually used in admissions decisions in practice.”

Data to include race and academic records

The new reporting requirements will include information on applicants' race, test scores, and academic performance. The goal, according to the White House, is to "verify that their admissions do not involve unlawful discrimination."

The fact sheet adds that the Department of Education will also be ordered to revamp its website to make admissions data“more efficient, easily accessible, and intelligibly presented for parents and students.”

Also Read | Stanford University announces job cuts: 360 employees laid off Settlements with Ivy League schools

The directive follows recent settlements with Columbia and Brown universities, which agreed to release detailed admissions data, including racial information, after months of negotiations with the Trump administration over federal funding .

Those settlements have sparked a national debate over academic freedom, government oversight, and the role of race in college admissions.

Crackdown on DEI

This latest move fits into a broader effort by the Trump administration to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. In his first week back in office, Trump signed an executive order requiring all federal departments and agencies to eliminate“discriminatory and illegal preferences, mandates, policies, programs” tied to DEI efforts.

Also Read | White House says Trump summit depends on Putin meeting Zelensky first: Report

MENAFN07082025007365015876ID1109901115