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You Can’t Kill the U.S. Department of Education (But You Can Break It) S4E28

You Can’t Kill the U.S. Department of Education (But You Can Break It)

· 28:47

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Host Alex Usher speaks with Daniel Collier and Michael Kofoed about the uncertain status and evolving role of the U.S. Department of Education under the Trump administration. They unpack why the department still exists despite efforts to dismantle it, and what that reveals about the limits of executive power. 

The conversation explores key policy shifts around student aid, accreditation, and DEI, and how legally fragile or unclear directives are shaping institutional behaviour across higher education. They also examine major changes to student loan repayment, including the move to a new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), and what it means for borrowers. 

Collier and Kofoed reflect on the risks of governing through executive action and how upcoming political shifts could reshape the future of federal higher education policy. 

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Creators and Guests

Alex Usher
Host
Alex Usher
He/Him. President, Higher Education Strategy Associates
Daniel Collier, PhD
Guest
Daniel Collier, PhD
Assistant Professor at The University of Memphis
Michael Kofoed
Guest
Michael Kofoed
Assistant Professor of Economics at Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Samantha Pufek
Producer
Samantha Pufek
She/Her. Art Director, Higher Education Strategy Associates
Tiffany MacLennan
Producer
Tiffany MacLennan
She/Her. Senior Associate and Project Lead, Higher Education Strategy Associates

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