College Admissions Accountability Act of 2025
The College Admissions Accountability Act of 2025 would create a new Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education within the U.S. Department of Education. Its main job is to receive and investigate complaints from applicants or students at colleges and universities that receive federal funds, alleging admissions decisions, policies, or financial aid practices that violate the Equal Protection Clause or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The act also authorizes the Inspector General to review federal policies that may incentivize discriminatory practices, make recommendations to institutions and Congress, and, if warranted, suggest disciplinary action or determine eligibility for federal funds. The office would have its own funding ($25 million) and reporting requirements, be part of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and endure for 12 years before sunset. The act also adds a new provision to the Higher Education Act denying federal funds to any institution found to discriminate on the basis of race in violation of the Equal Protection Clause or Title VI. In short, the bill creates a dedicated federal watchdog within the Education Department to police and remedy unlawful discrimination in college admissions and related areas, and it links findings of discrimination to potential loss of federal student aid funding.
Key Points
- 1Establishment and scope
- 2- Creates the Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education within the Department of Education.
- 3- The Special Inspector General (SIG) can receive, review, and investigate complaints from covered individuals (applicants or students) at covered institutions (federal funds-receiving colleges/universities).
- 4Duties and authorities
- 5- Investigate admissions decisions, policies, practices, and financial aid determinations or academic programs that may violate the Equal Protection Clause or Title VI.
- 6- Review federal policies that incentivize discriminatory practices and make recommendations to institutions, the Secretary, the Attorney General, and Congress on remedies, discipline, funding eligibility, further investigations, and policy reforms.
- 7- Maintain systems and procedures to carry out duties; possess Inspector General authorities under 5 U.S.C. around investigations and information handling; uphold confidentiality of submitter identities.
- 8Reporting and transparency
- 9- Requires quarterly reports (beginning 60 days after confirmation) to Congress detailing allegations, remediation steps, institutional responses, and coded data on violations (disaggregated by institution and by acts related to racial bias).
- 10- Reports include assessments of cooperation and implementation of recommendations by covered institutions.
- 11Resources and structure
- 12- Authorized $25 million in funding, with staff and expert/contract support as needed.
- 13- SIG can hire personnel, including experts, and enter into contracts to conduct audits, studies, and analyses.
- 14- SIG would be a member of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.
- 15Impact on funding for colleges
- 16- Adds a new section to the Higher Education Act: institutions found to have discriminated in violation of the Equal Protection Clause or Title VI could be ineligible to receive federal student aid or federal institutional aid.
- 17Sunset and organizational changes
- 18- The Office is set to terminate 12 years after enactment (sunset).
- 19- The act would amend the DOE Organization Act table of contents and add a new section to the Higher Education Act.