‘The Gloves Have Come Off’: Lawmakers Ramp Up Scrutiny of Higher Ed

In the wake of this month’s hearing on campus antisemitism, Republicans in Congress want elite colleges and universities to pay—one way or another. Over the past week, they’ve proposed bills to end federal student loans to the wealthiest private colleges, to levy new taxes and to restrict institutions’ diversity, equity and inclusion policies. And the list will likely grow in the new year. The growing hostility in Congress toward higher education, particularly elite institutions, represents a shift that could mean more legislation designed to change colleges and universities’ operations and governance, increase federal oversight and accountability, and impose budget cuts, experts said.