Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent used a high-profile forum to press colleges and universities to accept sweeping federal demands for accountability and structural reform. Kent told campus leaders the department will press accreditors, expand civil-rights investigations, and scrutinize diversity, equity and inclusion policies as part of a broader push to realign federal research and funding priorities. Speakers and attendees at the American Council on Education’s meeting pushed back, saying the administration’s prescription lacks consensus. Campus leaders acknowledged that higher education faces fiscal and enrollment pressures but disputed Kent’s framing that institutions have broadly rejected accountability. Officials flagged implementation challenges and signaled legal and governance fights ahead as the Education Department pursues regulatory changes. The exchange crystallizes a near-term policy battle: the agency is pairing regulatory threats with changes to accreditation recognition and research priorities, creating immediate operational decisions for boards and presidents. Expect contested rulemaking, litigation risk, and aggressive messaging from both the administration and higher‑education associations in coming months.