Undersecretary Nicholas Kent used the American Council on Education conference to announce an aggressive federal push to overhaul accreditation, increase civil‑rights investigations of campuses, and demand clearer measures of student outcomes. The Education Department issued a rule to speed recognition of new accrediting agencies and shorten review timelines to less than a year, while urging accreditors to prioritize graduation rates and workforce alignment over legacy practices. The actions formalize the administration’s strategy to pressure institutions via federal oversight and to reward compliance through research funding priorities. Officials cited concerns that accreditors protect “low‑performing legacy institutions” and said reform will create competition among recognition agencies. Legal and sector experts warn the changes could invite “accreditor shopping” and increase regulatory churn for colleges seeking new or alternate recognition.