JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP'S COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DATA PUSH IN 17 STATES
A federal judge has blocked the Education Department from enforcing its new Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) survey in 17 states--which we've covered in previous digests--halting requirements for public colleges to submit detailed admissions data disaggregated by race and gender going back seven years. The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by Democratic‑led states challenging the legality of the data collection. While the court acknowledged that the federal government generally has authority to collect admissions data, it found that the ACTS survey was implemented in a manner that was “arbitrary and capricious.” The decision prevents enforcement of the survey in the plaintiff states while the case proceeds.
HIGHER ED GROUPS URGE GSA TO RESCIND ANTI-DEI CERTIFICATION PROPOSAL
More than two dozen higher education associations, in a letter led by the American Council on Education (ACE), are urging the General Services Administration (GSA) to rescind a proposed change to federal funding certification requirements. The proposal would require colleges and other recipients of federal funds to certify compliance not only with federal law but also with “relevant executive orders” related to antidiscrimination when registering in the System for Award Management. GSA has said the changes are intended to align certification requirements with recent administration directives.
