Colleges and universities must follow a new “free inquiry and religious liberty” rule to continue to qualify for U.S. Department of Education grants, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced on Wednesday.

Under the “Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities”, public institutions could lose funding if religious student groups aren’t granted the same rights as other campus organizations, the Associated Press reported via The Voice of America. As for private colleges, the regulations require administrators “that promise their students and faculty free expression, free inquiry, and diversity of thought to live up to those ideals.”
 
“Students should not be forced to choose between their faith and their education, and an institution controlled by a religious organization should not have to sacrifice its religious beliefs to participate in Department grants and programs,” DeVos said in a statement.

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