Trump orders US universities to prove they don’t consider race in admissions
Critics, however, say it may be illegal for schools to collect the data demanded by the US president in a memo signed on Thursday
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a memorandum that requires universities to collect admissions data to prove they are not engaged in efforts to shape their student bodies along racial lines, according to the White House.
But the largest higher education policy and lobbying organisation in the US said the wording of the memo was vague and it may be illegal for schools to collect the data on race that the White House seeks.
The move is the latest effort in the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle affirmative action policies at universities.
It has launched dozens of investigations and threatened to cut off funding to schools that promote diversity, equity and inclusion programmes.
According to the memorandum, a 2023 US Supreme Court ruling knocked down the use of affirmative action in college admissions, but universities have been getting around the decision because of a lack of admissions data and by relying on “diversity statements” students provide in applying that indicate their race.
The US Department of Education said in a statement that Education Secretary Linda McMahon had directed the National Centre for Education Statistics to now collect from universities data on the race and gender of their applicant pool, on the students admitted and of all enrolled undergraduates.