A proposal to establish a new regional accrediting body—the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE)—has sparked growing concern among faculty members and academic organizations in several states. The proposed accreditor, which is still seeking federal recognition, would oversee public university systems in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as the University of South Carolina. Policymakers in Iowa have also recently signaled interest in joining the initiative, suggesting that the CPHE may expand to additional states.
Accreditation serves as a cornerstone of American higher education, ensuring academic quality through peer review while safeguarding institutional independence, shared governance, and academic freedom. Because accreditation determines eligibility for federal financial aid and shapes public confidence in higher education, changes to the accrediting landscape could have significant impact.
A major concern is that the CPHE’s draft standards fail to protect core academic values. The proposed framework weakens provisions for meaningful faculty participation in governance and introduces an “intellectual diversity” requirement that could invite political interference in curricular and research decisions. AAUP President Todd Wolfson has warned that these deficiencies raise fundamental concerns about the commission itself and has described the CPHE as an illegitimate accrediting enterprise.
Many in higher education see the proposal as part of a broader political effort to reshape accreditation and oversight. During his 2024 campaign, Donald Trump described accreditation as a potential “secret weapon” for transforming American colleges and universities. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a driving political force behind the CPHE initiative, has likewise attacked existing accreditors as “woke” and called for alternative accrediting structures to challenge their influence.
Faculty members across the affected states are urging careful review of the CPHE’s framework and robust public discussion about its implications. Preserving accreditor independence is essential to academic freedom, rigorous standards, and institutional accountability—ensuring that colleges and universities answer to educators and the public rather than political interests.
Learn more about the issue at https://www.aaup.org/accreditation-cphe.