The U.S. Department of Education unveiled plans to rewrite accreditation regulations, proposing easier paths for new accreditors and explicit limits on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) standards. The agency published a Federal Register notice outlining changes that would accelerate recognition for alternative accreditors and narrow acceptable criteria for institutional assessment. Higher-education associations and accreditors will face rulemaking and comment periods as the department seeks to reshape the gatekeepers of federal student aid. Officials framed the move as increasing competition and accountability; critics warn it could destabilize quality assurance and limit campus policies tied to equity initiatives. The debate will have direct implications for institutional access to Title IV funding and the regulatory landscape for program approvals.