I serve on the federal advisory committee that reviews college accreditors. Here's my take on what happened at Tuesday's meeting: open.substack.com/pub/bobshire...

What really happened when student loan reforms hitchhiked on the Affordable Care Act 15 years ago.

Now is as good a time as any to start the rumor that the AAU, composed of the major research universities, is considering seeking federal recognition as a Title IV accreditor. After all, it already operates as an accreditor, determining membership based on standards it sets.

For decades, policy makers have been trying, and failing, to get across the message that COLLEGE isn't just four year degrees, it offers many other vocational options. Do we need a different word?

Hmm. What's up with the added comma? That's not in the law. Are they making integrity an afterthought? Is this the first step toward droping integrity completely? This is very concerning.

Will a Next Recession Spur Growth of Predatory Colleges & Training Providers, Again? open.substack.com/pub/bobshire...

Academic integrity demands opposing government intrusion into curriculum and hiring (whether or not you support DEI hiring statements) @alicedreger.bsky.social @heterodoxacademy.bsky.social

“The federal government has long stayed away from any involvement in a college’s curriculum or hiring, and current law prohibits this kind of intrusion into academic affairs…the executive order steps far across this line.” –TCF’s @bobshireman.bsky.social in today’s NYT.

An IRS move against Harvard = not a surprise. In 1975, in the wake of frustrations over continuing segregation, civil rights groups pressed for the revocation of the tax-exempt status of Bob Jones University, which had excluded Black students and at the time prohibited interracial relationships. 1/3

Universities should draw a clear line: "what they teach and research is for them to decide... This principle is one reason why America became the world’s most innovative economy over the past 70 years, and why Russia and China did not... www.economist.com/leaders/2025...

@bobshireman.bsky.social @tcfdotorg.bsky.social discusses how non-partisan accrediting agencies protect academic freedom, and the threat posed by Trump II. Check out Ac Freedom on the Line @biblioracle.bsky.social @aaup.bsky.social academicfreedomontheline.substack.com/p/are-colleg...

The biggest threat right now to America's international preeminence in higher education is not funding cuts, it is the loss of institutional independence. Here I explain what might happen, so that we all can work to prevent it. www.chronicle.com/article/how-...

How far will Trump go in threatening colleges? Here are the threats via accreditation www.chronicle.com/article/how-...

For over 30 years, college students have been assured that their student loan debts would eventually be forgiven if they made regular income-based payments. This promise is now at risk due to legal challenges to the SAVE plan, via @bobshireman.bsky.social—who helped write the original legislation.

I don't get how some are downplaying what Trump can or might do, declaring that he "would need Congress" to end DEI or fire an accreditor. What makes them think that? Even if his authority is legally questionable, he owns the courts (and the military) www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

The western college accreditor is proposing to "refine" its standards by eliminating the DEI words in several places, sometimes replacing them with "success for all students." I missed yesterday's discussion, I'm curious if the change is facing opposition or concern. www.wscuc.org/post/wscuc-2...