College Admissions Accountability Act of 2025

This bill, called the College Admissions Accountability Act of 2025, creates a new watchdog office in the Department of Education to investigate unlawful discrimination in higher education, with a focus on admissions and financial aid. It responds to the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against race-based admissions and existing civil rights laws that ban discrimination by schools receiving federal funds . The office would take and investigate complaints from individuals or employees at covered colleges, review federal policies, recommend fixes to schools and federal officials, and keep whistleblowers’ identities confidential.

Colleges that receive federal student aid could lose that funding if the Secretary finds they discriminated based on race in admissions, financial aid, or academic programs. The office must send quarterly reports to Congress that summarize allegations in general terms, include data by school, and describe how schools cooperated with investigations. It is authorized $25 million and would end 12 years after enactment .

• Who is affected: Colleges and universities that get federal student aid; individuals or employees at those schools who submit complaints; the Department of Education .
• What changes: A Special Inspector General office investigates discrimination, can recommend discipline and policy changes, and can affect a school’s eligibility for federal funds if violations are found .
• When: Quarterly reporting begins after the Special Inspector General is confirmed; the office ends 12 years after enactment .