Today, six public university systems announced the creation of the Commission for Public Higher Education, establishing what they describe as a new accreditation model focused on academic excellence and student outcomes. The consortium includes Florida, Texas A&M, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee systems.
Background
The initiative emerges amid growing criticism of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which has covered: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Critics argue that “accreditation is often a costly process for institutions, while offering little quality control, and it increasingly mandates ‘woke’ university policies,” according to Heritage Foundation analysis.
In Florida, SASCOC has conflicted with DeSantis several times:
1. New College of Florida Intervention SACSCOC issued warnings about certain unprecedented actions taken by Gov. DeSantis, “including replacing most of the board at New College of Florida” to transform the liberal arts college into a more conservative institution. SACSCOC inquired with New College about “institutional mission, mission review, board/administrative distinction, academic freedom, academic governance, and hiring practices” following “unsolicited accusations submitted to SACSCOC by third parties” after DeSantis’s takeover.
2. University of Florida Faculty Restrictions SACSCOC raised concerns about “the University of Florida barring several professors from testifying as expert witnesses against the State, apparently due to pressure from Florida lawmakers” – questioning whether this violated academic freedom standards.
3. Florida State University Presidential Search SACSCOC questioned “potential conflicts of interest in a presidential search at Florida State University seemingly without much transparency or a proper search process.”
Governor Ron DeSantis framed the accreditation collaborative in light of his political agenda: “Florida has set an example for the country in reclaiming higher education—and we’re working to make that success permanent. That means breaking the activist-controlled accreditation monopoly. Today, I announced that a new accreditor, the Commission for Public Higher Education, will offer an alternative that will break the ideological stronghold.”
Chancellor Ray Rodrigues of Florida’s State University System emphasized the focus on “high-quality, high-value programs” and using “student data to drive decisions” to improve efficiency in the accreditation process.
Heritage Foundation-Kissel Connection
The new Commission aligns with longstanding conservative education reform priorities. Heritage Foundation scholars have argued: “Any substantial higher education reform must include accreditation reform: decoupling accreditation from student aid, ending regional monopolies, and inhibiting abuses of power.”
- University of West Florida Trustee Adam Kisiel, a Heritage Foundation visiting fellow, has been a prominent advocate for accreditation reform. At Heritage, Kissel focuses on “opening higher education accreditation to competition, stopping politicized accreditors from abusing their power to interfere with institutional autonomy, protecting free speech on college campuses.”
- Kissel has written that “The U.S. Department of Education is doing the opposite of what it should: It standardizes education instead of unleashing market competition to improve education.” The new Commission appears designed to introduce such competition.
The initiative fits within the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 agenda, which states: “Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.”
- This makes state-led alternatives particularly appealing to conservative policymakers.
At a recent Heritage Foundation event, officials emphasized “the need for reform in higher education” and discussed “how Trump is forcing change” in the sector, suggesting coordination between policy organizations and government officials.
Implementation Challenges
The new accreditor faces significant hurdles in gaining federal recognition necessary for student aid eligibility. Current federal regulations recognize only certain accreditors, and changing this system could require legislative action or regulatory reform.
Traditional accreditors maintain that their standards ensure quality and protect students from substandard institutions. They may view the new Commission as undermining established quality assurance mechanisms.
If successful, the Commission could inspire similar initiatives in other states and potentially influence federal accreditation policy. The effort represents a test case for state-led alternatives to federal education oversight—a key principle in conservative education reform.
The initiative also reflects broader political tensions over higher education’s role and governance. While supporters see it as restoring focus on academic excellence, critics may view it as an attempt to circumvent existing quality controls or advance particular political agendas.
