Statement on President’s Trump Executive Order Aimed at Shutting Down the Department of Education

(March 20, 2025 – Washington, DC) – The Trump Administration issued an Executive Order stating, “The Secretary of Education shall, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities.” 

NAICU President Barbara K. Mistick, D.B.A. issued the following statement: 

“At a policy level, the order focuses more on elementary and secondary education and diversity, equity, and inclusion, while also clearly acknowledging the need to follow current legal authority.  This last feature is very important because the ability to create or abolish cabinet agencies is left to Congress. Regardless of what happens to the Department, statutorily authorized programs, including the federal student aid programs that help millions of students and families every year, cannot be eliminated via executive order and thus should continue to operate despite this order. 

“The directive puts the decision-making process for the future of the Department in the hands of Congress, which is where it should be.  As the debate over the future of the Department continues, NAICU and our membership will be focused on how any proposals impact students and families and the smooth operation of the federal student aid program, which so many rely on to access the college or university that best meets their educational goals.  The recent challenges with the FAFSA showed all Americans how important the smooth delivery of student aid funds is to our nation and how quickly processes can break down.” 

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The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) serves as the unified voice for the 1,700 private, nonprofit colleges and universities in our nation. Founded in 1976, NAICU is the only national membership organization solely focused on representing private, nonprofit higher education on public policy issues in Washington, DC. NAICU’s membership reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the U.S. Our member institutions include major research universities, faith-based colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other Minority-Serving Institutions, art and design colleges, conservatories of music, traditional liberal arts and science institutions, women’s colleges, work colleges, two-year colleges and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business and other professions.