The U.S. Department of Education issued draft regulations to overhaul the accreditation system, including easing pathways for new accreditors and adding requirements tied to faculty “intellectual diversity.” The proposals were released ahead of negotiated rulemaking that begins next week and could reshape how colleges maintain eligibility for federal student aid. The draft aligns with the administration’s stated direction after a 2025 executive order that criticized DEI standards at certain accreditors and directed the department to resume recognition of new accrediting agencies. Department officials also previously directed accreditors to eliminate DEI standards or risk losing federal recognition. The draft would require accrediting agencies to ensure colleges comply with federal and state laws, including a prohibition on preferential treatment based on protected characteristics. The proposal cites examples such as race-based scholarships as potentially violating that standard, an issue that the department’s prior guidance has already faced major legal setbacks. Education officials’ approach is also influenced by court rulings rejecting the department’s earlier anti-DEI guidance about the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision on race-conscious admissions. Advocates and accreditors will now confront a new set of rules through a formal negotiated process before any final changes take effect.