The Department of Education has reshaped the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), installing critics of diversity, equity and inclusion and signaling a major shift in federal accreditation oversight. Under Secretary Nicholas Kent framed the changes as an effort to refocus accreditors on graduation rates, earnings and academic rigor while curbing what the administration views as ideological influence in higher education. - The committee’s new membership and the department’s public rhetoric make accreditation a policy lever for broader changes to institutional accountability and program recognition. Jay Greene, a scholar with conservative policy ties, was selected as NACIQI chair after a tie vote. - Accreditation reform could expand pathways for new accreditors and alter recognition criteria, creating uncertainty for colleges and universities that rely on federal recognition for financial aid eligibility and program continuity.