First100 20250228 | Inside Higher Ed

Hello and welcome to another edition of The First 100 Days, Inside Higher Ed’s weekly roundup of news from the Hill to the Oval Office. I’m your host, news editor Katherine Knott.

Today marks Day 39 of the second Trump administration and the day by which colleges need to comply with sweeping guidance from the Education Department that purported to ban all race-conscious programming. We have a lot more below about that order and how colleges are complying—or not. After Friday, the ball will be in the department’s court in terms of next steps.

We also spent much of the week trying to make sense of various court orders related to executive orders cracking down on diversity, equity and inclusion and other policies. In a nutshell: Yes, a federal judge blocked parts of those DEI orders, but not the Dear Colleague letter. But what’s still unclear is what the Trump administration means by DEI. A federal judge even said that “even the government does not know what constitutes DEI-related speech that violates federal anti-discrimination laws.”

On tap for next week: First up, what happens next with the anti–DEI guidance. It’s very possible that a federal judge temporarily blocks the Dear Colleague letter from taking effect. (You can follow the lawsuits via our tracker.) We’re also awaiting a court order on the NIH proposal to cap indirect rates and a vote on Linda McMahon, the education secretary nominee, which should happen on Monday. And Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, Trump’s pick to lead NIH, will have a confirmation hearing at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 5. I would bet the rate cut and the general state of research funding at NIH come up. (Oh, and we’re 14 days out from a possible government shutdown.)

We heard from some readers after our first edition last week, so thanks to those who wrote in. But I would love to hear from more of you. What’s on your mind as we end week six of the Trump administration? What do you want to know from the IHE team? And what reality TV are you watching these days? The Masked Singer is my new obsession. Feel free to email me at katherine.knott@insidehighered.com.

Have a good weekend!

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On the Anti-DEI Guidance

Diversity Race & Ethnicity

Wary Colleges Scramble to Meet DEI Deadline

The Education Department gave colleges two weeks to eliminate race-conscious programs. As the deadline approaches, questions remain about what compliance means and how far the Trump administration will go to enforce it.

Governance Accreditation

As Colleges Face Funding Threat, Accreditors Offer Flexibility

Accreditors are relaxing enforcement of DEI standards as colleges grasp for answers on what unclear Trump administration directives targeting DEI mean.

Diversity

Trump Is Targeting DEI in Higher Ed. But What Does He Mean?

Colleges are supposed to comply with the administration’s recent guidance by the end of the week. But it’s hard to tell which activities the White House actually opposes.

Government Politics & Elections

Teachers’ Union Sues to Block DEI Guidance

Colleges have until the end of the week to comply with the Trump administration’s order to end all race-conscious programming, unless a federal judge blocks it.

Government Politics & Elections

The DEI Hills Higher Ed Is Willing to Die On

The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights has demanded colleges rid themselves of race-conscious practices and programming. What will institutions fight to defend?

Government Politics & Elections

Injunction Blocking Parts of Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders Doesn’t Affect DEI Guidance

Legal experts say the executive orders and guidance use different levers to obtain the same goal—eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs—so colleges still need to comply.

More Trump News

Government Science & Research Policy

USAID Cuts Hit University Research, Including Respected Soybean Labs

Annually, the foreign aid agency awards universities about $350 million in grants to research solutions to global crises. Researchers warn of long-term harms if Trump shutters the agency.

Governance Accreditation

As Colleges Face Funding Threat, Accreditors Offer Flexibility

Accreditors are relaxing enforcement of DEI standards as colleges grasp for answers on what unclear Trump administration directives targeting DEI mean.

Government Science & Research Policy

The NSF’s Higher Ed Research ‘Hit List’

Senator Ted Cruz has released a database of more than 3,400 National Science Foundation grants he believes push “a far-left ideology.” Free speech advocates and researchers say it’s a scare tactic that undermines scientific inquiry.

Government Politics & Elections

Applications for Some Student Loan Repayment Plans Frozen

Experts say turning off applications for income-driven repayment options isn’t necessary and could harm borrowers.

Government Science & Research Policy

Colleges Restrict Graduate Student Admissions After NIH Proposes Rate Cut

College officials say the pause is necessary while they determine the impacts of the potential federal funding cuts.

Government Student Aid Policy

Amid Federal Upheaval, a Pell Shortfall Looms

The Pell Grant is facing a projected $2.7 billion budget shortfall, its first in over a decade. With the Education Department in turmoil and Trump slashing spending, access advocates worry cuts may be unavoidable.

By Subini Annamma and David Stovall