The U.S. Department of Education escalated its push for institutional reforms by issuing a new letter urging “university presidents and board members” to publish commitments to admissions transparency, free inquiry, intellectual pluralism, and affordability and student outcomes. The department’s strategy follows the administration’s earlier “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which failed to win broad participation. Officials described the new approach as less prescriptive than the original compact, focusing on colleges posting answers rather than making specific policy changes up front. Deputy chief of staff Jonathan Pidluzny said the goal is “full candor and transparency” to rebuild public trust while holding institutions accountable. Separate reporting on the same effort framed it as a mechanism to pressure universities toward admissions and hiring practices aligned with the administration’s priorities, including continued scrutiny of the research enterprise and the awarding of grants. Institutions have raised concerns about autonomy and the risk of political influence. The department’s call is also landing amid continued low public confidence in higher education, with advocates warning that the compliance burden could fall unevenly across campuses already under enrollment and budget pressure.