Education’s McMahon Asks All U.S. Colleges For Trump-Approved Reform Commitments By Year’s End

August 3, 2026 - 23:18

The U.S. Department of Education is asking every college and university in the country to submit written commitments on a list of Trump-administration priorities by the end of the year. In a letter sent to higher education leaders, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon requested what she called "full transparency" on issues ranging from campus antisemitism to diversity programs and admissions policies.

The letter does not explicitly threaten to strip federal research dollars from schools that refuse to comply. However, the tone makes clear that cooperation is expected. McMahon framed the request as a necessary step to restore public trust in higher education, which she described as drifting too far from its core mission of academic inquiry and merit-based opportunity.

Among the items the Education Department wants addressed are the handling of pro-Palestinian protests, the existence of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, and any policies that consider race in admissions or hiring. The letter also asks schools to detail their current free speech policies and to explain how they protect Jewish students on campus.

College leaders are now weighing how to respond. Some see the request as a voluntary survey with no immediate teeth. Others view it as a first step toward conditioning federal funding on political compliance. Several major research universities have already faced pressure from the administration over campus protests, with some agreeing to changes in exchange for keeping their grants.

The deadline is December 31. The Education Department has not said what it will do with the responses, but it has signaled that the information will be used to guide future enforcement actions. For now, schools are left to decide whether to push back, comply quietly, or wait and see what the new year brings.