Washington, August 3, 2026: U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon issued a national call to action asking college presidents and governing boards to consider and, if they wish, publicly respond to a set of principles intended to frame institutional mission and priorities.
Voluntary exercise aimed at mission clarity
The initiative asks institutions to weigh questions across multiple areas of college and university operations and, where appropriate, publish responses on their homepages. The administration has suggested institutions aim to post responses by the end of the calendar year, but participation is not compulsory. The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) noted the action is voluntary and that there are no incentives or penalties attached to either responding or not responding.
The letter from the Secretary presents a series of themes for boards and presidents to consider as part of a short, mission-focused review. These areas are intended as prompts for internal discussion about institutional purpose and priorities rather than prescriptive rules.
Key areas for board consideration
The guidance identifies several clusters of issues for governing boards and presidents to evaluate. Institutions are encouraged to consider which of these are most relevant to their mission and communities before deciding whether to prepare a public statement.
- Admissions — transparency and merit in admissions processes.
- Academic climate — free speech, open inquiry, intellectual pluralism and academic vitality.
- Quality and standards — academic standards and rigor, including in the context of artificial intelligence.
- Affordability and outcomes — value for students and measurable student outcomes.
- Research integrity — safeguarding research from malign foreign influence.
- National priorities — a focus on prioritising American interests and national service.
"rigorous teaching, pathbreaking research, and national service."
The administration's accompanying press release offers a succinct guide to each of the questions and indicates a preference that colleges make a public response. In an information session attended by ACCT staff, officials said they would not be compiling or cataloguing the institutions' responses for public use.
Communicating the response — audiences and coordination
Boards are urged to think strategically about the audience for any public statement: federal or state officials, students, faculty, local employers, or the service district. The guidance suggests that institutions consider how best to reach those audiences and whether a system-wide, state association, or regional coordinated response would better serve their goals. The ACCT materials note that coordination could involve community colleges or regional public institutions where appropriate.
For governing boards, the exercise is framed as a means to stimulate dialogue about institutional mission during a period when many community colleges are revisiting and reaffirming their core purposes. The documents emphasise that each board should weigh the questions on their merits and decide internally whether a public response will benefit engagement with their stakeholders.
Institutions and boards planning to prepare a response should consult the Secretary's letter and the administration's press release for the full list of suggested questions and the suggested timeline. ACCT's materials are available to trustees and staff as a practical guide to structure the internal review and to assess the likely audiences and communication channels for any public statement.
