The U.S. Department of Education announced it will no longer enforce, as a uniform rule, a requirement that private college owners accept personal liability to maintain access to federal student aid—shifting enforcement to a case-by-case basis. The change rescinds a regulatory test designed to hold proprietors of for-profit institutions financially accountable for abuses that jeopardize federal funds. Department officials say the adjustment gives regulators flexibility; consumer-advocacy groups and some lawmakers argue it reduces consistent accountability and could leave students and taxpayers exposed. The rule had been intended to deter rapid ownership changes that historically masked financial instability and regulatory violations at some chain operators. Colleges, accreditors and legal teams should expect a patchwork enforcement landscape: compliance officers must now monitor investigations and institutional risk individually rather than rely on a clear regulatory baseline. State attorneys general and Congress may respond with oversight hearings or new statutory language.