Indiana’s Commission for Higher Education revised its new‑degree application to require universities to explain how proposed programs ‘‘commit to the core values of American society.’’ The requirement is part of a broader tightening of state oversight that mandates commission approval before institutions can enroll students in new degrees. The move inserts ideological criteria into routine academic approvals and may complicate program development, particularly for interdisciplinary and globally oriented curricula. Faculty leaders and academic freedom advocates warn the policy could chill curricular innovation and add administrative burdens to an already bureaucratic program‑launch process.