Sen. Bill Cassidy launched an investigation into freshman math placements at selective institutions, sending document requests to 35 universities after a University of California San Diego report found many entering students placed below expected levels. The senator asked for placement data, placement methods, and use of standardized tests by Feb. 5. Separately, congressional inquiries have multiplied as lawmakers press elite campuses to explain why some matriculants lack college‑level math skills. College admissions officers and registrars are now under immediate pressure to produce placement policies and remediation plans; institutions say COVID disruptions, test-optional policies and uneven K–12 preparation are factors to explain the changes.