House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (NY) has introduced legislation to prohibit accreditors from compelling institutions to adopt race- or sex-based quotas, instead requiring them to consider a school’s commitment to academic freedom and free speech foremost.

The bill, introduced Wednesday and dubbed the Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act, is a companion to Sen. Jim Banks’ (R-IN) version in the Senate, introduced in May.

If passed, the legislation would codify President Donald Trump’s executive order from April, called “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education.”

Key provisions of Stefanik’s bill include a mandate for accreditors to respect institutions’ commitment to free speech, academic freedom, and First Amendment protections

See Full Page