Trump, Project 2025, and America First Policy Higher Education Memo
The following memo includes a summary of Project 2025, the America First Policy Agenda, and Trump’s campaign priorities and how they would affect civil rights in higher education. Many of the policies listed below have already been put in motion in the last four months. Based on what was published prior to Inauguration Day, it is likely that we will see the second Trump administration focus on:
- Rescinding regulations on gainful employment, loan repayment, closed school discharge, borrower defense, and more.
- Amendments to the Higher Education Act (HEA) to reduce the role of the federal government in forgiving and modifying loan repayment.
- Privatizing all student loans, eliminating federal student loans such as Direct loans, Grad loans, and Parent Plus loans, and making changes to Income Driven Repayment (IDR) plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) through immediate negotiated rulemaking.
- Attacks on racial equity and diversity in higher education by restricting accreditors and narrowing of funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions.
- Accepting new accreditors who would establish standards that would likely focus on American nationalism, “free speech,” and support for short-term or accelerated programs.
- Establishing a new “federal student loan authority” that would end the Office of Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) management of student financial assistance programs.