Federal oversight of college accreditors is under fresh scrutiny after the Education Department reconstituted the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity with Trump appointees and new voting procedures. The panel’s initial meeting featured partisan seating, a deadlocked chair vote, and the selection of a Heritage Foundation‑aligned member, prompting debate over the independence of accreditors and the role of political appointees. At the same time, a senior Trump administration official signaled an aggressive push to "fix" accreditation practices, criticizing accreditors for tolerating programs and policies the administration deems misaligned with federal priorities. The administration has flagged financial oversight, curricular content related to diversity initiatives, and accreditation’s gatekeeping role for federal aid as targets for reform. Accreditors and campus leaders told reporters they expect more conditional recognitions, faster reviews, and heightened reporting requirements. Accreditation is the primary federal mechanism by which institutions qualify for Title IV student aid; changes could ripple through program eligibility, state authorization and institutional finances.