Advocates and accreditation leaders are urging higher education institutions and accreditors to engage aggressively during the comment period for an upcoming Department of Education accreditation proposed rule. The argument is that the negotiated-rulemaking process does not guarantee the final text will match consensus language. The piece emphasizes that the department can revise the proposal in response to public comments and within its legal authority, including potentially reinstating earlier concepts that were removed during negotiation. It urges stakeholders to identify which provisions are worth defending and which could create unnecessary cost or administrative intrusion. As the rule approaches, the guidance also frames comment periods as a mechanism for shaping policy that affects institutional compliance burdens and oversight structures across the accreditation system.