Accreditation leaders and federal officials convened at the CHEA/CIQG annual conference to lay out competing visions for the future of U.S. quality assurance. CHEA President Nasser H. Paydar urged accreditors to avoid a reactive posture and to look ahead; U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent signaled renewed federal interest in revisiting accreditation policy and increased accountability for student outcomes. Sessions featured candid exchanges about transparency, streamlined processes and the potential for collaboration between accreditors and the Department. Heather Perfetti of MSCHE said the Department’s willingness to listen opened space for joint approaches to integrity and accountability. The conference comes as external policy guidance and think‑tank reports—like recent Heritage‑aligned recommendations—intensify pressure on institutions to demonstrate performance and compliance. Attendees discussed how accreditors might modernize review practices without adding undue compliance burdens, and how new federal expectations could reshape institutional governance and program oversight.