THE RANT podcast with Eloy Ortiz Oakley: Accreditation Under Fire with Mike Gavin

Host Eloy Ortiz Oakley welcomes Dr. Mike Gavin, head of the newly launched Alliance for Higher Education, formed to help higher education leaders respond to national policy challenges. Gavin explains the Alliance’s mission to strengthen higher education as a “fifth pillar” of democracy by defending institutional autonomy, academic freedom, and equity, and notes it is not dues-dependent and collaborates with many higher ed and democracy organizations. The conversation focuses on accreditation as an existential issue because Title IV access requires accreditation, and Gavin warns proposed changes could use funding to ideologically control institutions, including prohibitions on disaggregating data by race or gender and requirements tied to a federal definition of “intellectual diversity.” They also discuss longstanding criticisms of accreditation around accountability, innovation, and competition, and Gavin urges leaders and boards to set and communicate red lines, avoid over-compliance, and engage through meaningful public comment.