Six public university systems in the South moved this fall to create a new regional accreditor, a step university leaders say will free campuses from what they call onerous federal and national standards. The change followed an April executive order reshaping federal oversight of accreditors and a May Education Department decision that lowered barriers to switching accreditors. The move altered a longstanding, largely technical oversight system and triggered immediate controversy: critics say the breakaway group risks politicizing accreditation and fragmenting the quality-assurance framework that governs federal aid. The fledgling Commission for Public Higher Education has already received letters of intent from 10 institutions in four states as it seeks U.S. Department of Education recognition. Federal recognition matters because accreditation governs eligibility for federal student aid and research grants. The new commission is pressing ahead while defending its processes against allegations of partisan intent; the Education Department must now weigh whether the agency meets standards designed to protect students and taxpayer-supported aid.