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Trump Signing Executive Orders on Jan. 20, 2025

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Higher Education & The Trump Transition

White House/Executive Actions

President Trump Executive Orders and Executive Actions Impacting Higher Education

ACE Summary (PDF)

NEW

Frequently Asked Questions About Racial Preferences and Stereotypes Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (PDF) (Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, February 28, 2025)
Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency" Cost Efficiency Initiative (February 26, 2025)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (January 21, 2025)
Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferences (January 20, 2025)

Gender and Title IX

Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports (February 5, 2025)
Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government (January 20, 2025)

Immigrants and International Students

Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions (January 20, 2025)
Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats (January 20, 2025)
Protecting the American People Against Invasion (January 20, 2025)
America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State (January 20, 2025)
Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship (January 20, 2025)

OMB Funding Freeze

Temporary restraining order in the case New York et al. v. Trump by the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island (January 31, 2025)
OMB Memo to Federal Agencies on Temporary Funding Freeze (January 27, 2025)
OMB Instructions for Federal Program Analysis
OMB Q&A Document on Federal Funding Freeze (January 28, 2025)

Other

America First Investment Policy (February 21, 2025)
Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative (February 19, 2025)
Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending (February 18, 2025)
Keeping Education Accessible and Ending Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates in Schools (February 15, 2025)
Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative (February 11, 2025)
Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation (January 31, 2025)
Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism (January 29. 2025)
Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid (January 20, 2025)
Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions (January 20, 2025)
This broad EO rescinds 78 EOs from the Biden administration, including those aimed at increasing equity and economic opportunity for underrepresented students and higher education’s role in combatting climate change.
Regulatory Freeze Pending Review (January 20, 2025)

Other Resources

Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions (Just Security)

Executive Order Overview & Tracker (Akin Gump)

Executive Orders: An Introduction (Congressional Research Service, March 29, 2021)

Education Department and Other Agency Guidance

Department of Education

Dear Colleague Letter on the Use of Race in Policies and Programs (PDF) (February 14, 2025)

U.S. Department of Education Probes Cases of Antisemitism at Five Universities (Feruary 3, 2025)

U.S. Department of Education Takes Action to Eliminate DEI (January 23, 2025)

Other Agencies

Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates (February 7, 2025)
National Institutes of Health
Justice Department Announces Formation of Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism (February 3, 2025)
Department of Justice
NSF Implementation of Recent Executive Orders (updated regularly)
National Science Foundation
Initial Guidance Regarding DEIA Executive Orders (January 21, 2025)
Office of Personnel Management
Memorandum to the Heads of Departments and Agencies: Guidance Regarding Section 7 of the Executive Order Unleashing American Energy (January 21, 2025)
Office of Management and Budget
Memorandum for Heads of Departmental Elements: Agency-wide Review of Program and Administrative Activities (January 20, 2025)
Department of Energy
Rescission of DEI, CBP, and Justice40 Policy Flashes, Acquisition Letters, and Financial Assistance Letters (January 31, 2025)
Department of Energy
Memorandum for All DOE Funding Agreements or Awards: Cease all activities associated with DEI and CBP (January 27, 2025)
Department of Energy
Immediate Pause on Issuing Documents and Public Communications (January 21, 2025)
Department of Health and Human Services
HHS’ Civil Rights Office Acts Swiftly to Combat Anti-Semitism (February 3, 2025)
Department of Health and Human Services
Initial Guidance Regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) Executive Orders (January 23, 2025)
NASA
Amendment 109: Removing DEIA Requirements from ROSES-2024 (January 20, 2025)
NASA
Immediate Implementation of Executive Orders “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” (January 22, 2025)
Department of Labor
Notice on Implementation of Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid (January 24, 2025)
U.S. Agency for International Development

From Colleges and Universities

Institutional Communications on Federal Funding Updates
Council on Government Relations

ACE Resources

dotEDU, the ACE Policy Podcast

dotEDU Live: The Future of Campus Diversity and Student Support

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has issued a sweeping directive declaring that race-conscious student programs, financial aid, and support services violate federal civil rights law—giving colleges just 14 days to comply. ACE President Ted Mitchell joins hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja to discuss the implications for campuses. (Aired February 18, 2025)

dotEDU Live: The Future of Campus Diversity and Student Support

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has issued a sweeping directive declaring that race-conscious student programs, financial aid, and support services violate federal civil rights law—giving colleges just 14 days to comply. ACE President Ted Mitchell joins hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja to discuss the implications for campuses. (Aired February 19, 2025)

dotEDU Live: New Orders and New Challenges for Higher Education
In this all-Q&A episode of dotEDU Live, hosts Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the latest policy shifts, legal battles, and administrative chaos facing colleges and universities in the Trump administration’s first weeks. (Aired February 6, 2025)

dotEDU Live: What the Trump Administration’s Funding Freeze Means for Higher Education
The Trump administration’s broad freeze on federal grants sparked confusion across higher ed—until a judge blocked it just before taking effect. In this Jan. 28 episode, Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja break down the fast-moving developments. Later, ACE President Ted Mitchell joins Jon and Sarah to discuss what’s at stake and what’s next for colleges, universities, and students. (Aired January 29, 2025)

dotEDU Live: Navigating Trump’s First Week
Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the early days of the Trump administration’s second term and its impact on higher education. (Aired January 24, 2025)

From 2024

dotEDU Live: Higher Education’s Path Forward in Trump’s Second Term (Aired December 12, 2024)

dotEDU Live: What Trump’s Win and a New Congress Mean for Higher Education (Aired November 7, 2024)

Issue Briefs

President Trump’s Executive Orders Impacting Higher Education

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Immigration-Related Campus Concerns

Letters

Letter to Department of Education Office of Civil Rights on DEI Dear Colleague Letter (PDF) (February 25, 2025)

Letter to New Members of the 119th Congress (PDF) (January 15, 2025)

ACE Policy Recommendations to 2024 Presidential Candidates (PDF) (October 15, 2024)

Blog Posts & Campaign News

Dear President-elect Trump: Higher Education Builds America | By Ted Mitchell (January 6, 2025)

ACE Calls for Policy Focus on Higher Education in Presidential Campaigns (September 16, 2024)

Statements

ACE, AAU, APLU, Others File Legal Challenge to Trump Administration’s Cut to Life-saving NIH Research (February 10, 2025)

Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on Trump Administration Move to Slash Research Indirect Cost Rate (February 7, 2025)

Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on Federal Assistance Pause (January 28, 2025)

Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on the Nomination of Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education (November 20, 2024)

Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on the Election of Donald J. Trump (November 6, 2024)

ACE News

ACE, Higher Education Groups Urge Department of Education to Rescind DEI “Dear Colleague” Letter | Feb. 27, 2025

Federal Judges Block DEI Orders, Extend Pause on NIH Cuts | Feb. 24, 2025

Senate Questions McMahon on the Future of the Education Department, DEI, and Student Aid in Confirmation Hearing | Feb. 14, 2025

Higher Education Association Lawsuit Challenges NIH Action on F&A Reimbursement | Feb. 10, 2025

OMB Funding Pause, More EOs Mark Hectic Week for Higher Ed | Feb. 3, 2025

Trump’s Executive Orders Shift Higher Education Landscape | Jan. 27, 2025

ED Finalizes Biden-Era Regulations, Withdraws Proposals Amid Transition | Jan. 15, 2025

Other News Stories

Education Dept. Softens Controversial Guidance on Race and Schools
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | March 1, 2025

Wary Colleges Scramble to Meet DEI Deadline
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 28, 2025

USAID Cuts Hit University Research, Including Respected Soybean Labs
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 28, 2025

As Trump’s Deadline To Eliminate DEI Nears, Few Schools Openly Rush To Make Changes
The Associated Press | Feb. 27, 2025

DOGE Said It Cut $881 Million at the Education Department. The Real Savings Are Much Less.
USA Today | Feb. 26, 2025

NIH Funding Is at a Standstill. This Professor Is Tracking the Delays.
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | Feb. 26, 2025

Tracking Key Lawsuits Against the Trump Administration
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 26, 2025

OPINION: The Department of Education Threatens to Pull the Plug on Colleges
The New York Times (sub. req.) | Feb. 26, 2025

Teachers Union Files Lawsuit over Trump’s Crackdown on Race, DEI in Schools
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Feb. 25, 2025

Applications for Some Student Loan Repayment Plans Frozen
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 26, 202

Injunction Blocking Parts of Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders Doesn’t Affect DEI Guidance
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 25, 2025

Medical Research Labs Brace for Possible Funding Cuts That Could Disrupt Their Work

NPR | Feb. 24, 2025

Judge Blocks OPM, Education Department From Sharing Personal Info With DOGE
Politico | Feb. 24, 2025

Judge Extends Temporary Block to Huge Cuts in National Institutes of Health Research Funding
The Associated Press | Feb. 21, 2025

Federal Judge Blocks Parts of Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 24, 2025

Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Slashing NIH Funding in 22 States That Sued

The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Feb. 10, 2025

NIH Cuts On Hold After States Sue
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 10, 2025

Research Universities Are Poised to Lose Billions Under Trump’s Sudden Cut
The Chronicle of Higher Education (sub. req.) | Feb. 8, 2025

‘Shortsighted’ and ‘Dangerous’: Colleges Warn of Budget Cuts After NIH Slashes Medical Research Funding
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 8, 2025

Maryland Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order
NPR | Feb. 5, 2025

Higher Ed Fights Back Against Trump’s DEI Order
Inside Higher Ed | Feb. 5, 2025

Trump Preps Order to Dismantle Education Dept. as DOGE Probes Data
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Feb. 3, 2025

D.C. Federal Judge Extends Ban on Trump OMB Funding Freeze
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Feb. 3, 2025

A 2nd U.S. Judge says Trump Administration Must Pause Its Federal Spending Freeze
NPR | Jan. 31, 2025

Trump’s Orders Stun College Campuses as He Follows Through on Promise to ‘Attack the Universities’
The Boston Globe (sub. req.) | Jan. 30, 2025

Trump Threatens to Deport International Students and Scholars Who Protested the War in Gaza
The Chronicle of Higher Education | Jan. 29, 2025)

Trump White House Rescinds Order Freezing Federal Spending, Reversing Course
The Washington Post (sub. req.) | Jan. 29, 2025

College Leaders Galvanize to Fight the Anti-DEI ‘Chaos’
Inside Higher Ed | Jan. 27, 2025

The Chaos in Higher Ed Is Only Getting Started
The Atlantic | Jan. 24, 2025