The U.S. Department of Education has announced the appointment of five new members to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI). The appointees, who will serve six-year terms, include Robert Eitel, Joshua Figueira, Dr. Jay Greene, Dr. Steven Taylor, and Emilee Reynolds as the student representative.
These appointments come as part of ongoing efforts to reform the accreditation process for higher education institutions. According to Under Secretary Nicholas Kent, "Americans recognize that the accreditation process needs reform to better serve students and families, and the Trump Administration is addressing this, in part, through these reform-minded appointees. We can no longer accept a protectionist system in which a few powerful non-governmental entities gatekeep billions in federal student aid and licensure opportunities, overlook poor student outcomes, contribute to rising college costs and degree inflation, and prioritize divisive DEI standards over the skills students need to compete in the next-generation workforce. We are confident that these appointees, in conjunction with the Administration’s other accreditation reform initiatives, will help realign the accreditation system and get it back on track."
A sixth appointment by the Secretary of Education is expected to be announced soon.
Robert Eitel is currently president of the Defense of Freedom Institute and has previously served in several roles at the Department of Education during both George W. Bush's and Donald Trump's administrations.
Joshua Figueira serves as Deputy General Counsel at Brigham Young University - Idaho and has experience working on First Amendment issues within religious organizations.
Dr. Jay Greene is a Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation focusing on education policy related to character formation and civic values.
Dr. Steven Taylor works as a policy director at Stand Together Trust with previous experience at American Council on Education; he was also appointed by Governor Youngkin to Virginia’s State Council of Higher Education.
Emilee Reynolds is a student at Western Carolina University studying integrated health science while working part-time as a paramedic.
NACIQI operates under Section 114 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as an independent advisory body making recommendations regarding institutional accreditation. Its membership consists of 18 experts—six appointed by each chamber of Congress and six by the Secretary of Education (including one student representative). The committee meets twice yearly; its next meeting is scheduled for December 16, 2025.
For more information about NACIQI meetings or agendas, visit their official page.
