Trump to demand admissions data on race from universities for 'transparency'

US President Donald Trump is working on a memorandum that will require universities with federal funding to submit their admissions data to prove that they are not engaging in any discriminatory practices, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday (August 7). She announced it on the social media platform X. The American president is expected to approve the memorandum on Thursday itself. It directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to expand the scope of requiring reports from institutions' admissions data to "provide adequate transparency" and "to increase accuracy checks" on that data, CNN reported.

As per a verdict of the US Supreme Court in June 2023, colleges and universities could no longer consider race as a basis for admission, terming it to be 'unconstitutional'. In a landmark decision, SCOTUS overturned the long-standing precedent that benefited students of colour in higher education.

The White House cited that there was not enough admissions data from the universities. It raised “concerns about whether race is used in admissions decisions in practice.”

The Education Secretary will revamp the higher education database known as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. The system carries out surveys to review trends in tuition and fees, admissions considerations, enrollment and financial aid, the report mentioned.