ED Names New NACIQI Member

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has appointed Siri Terjesen as the newest member of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, effective as of Tuesday.

She replaces Joshua Figueira, who was removed by the Department of Education after he voted against the selection of Jay Greene, another ED appointee, as NACIQI chair at the December meeting. Figueira, who was set to serve through 2031, was removed by the department after being appointed last fall. Although Terjesen participated in this week’s meeting, ED did not announce her appointment and her biography has not yet been uploaded to the NACIQI roster.

Terjesen is currently a professor and administrator at Florida Atlantic University. She also serves as an advisory board member of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni Fund for Academic Renewal, which helps fund initiatives related to viewpoint diversity and other priorities.

“I am honored to serve on the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality & Integrity (NACIQI) at the U.S. Department of Education. NACIQI oversees the accreditors that gatekeep access to federal financial aid—the pipeline behind $1.7 trillion in federal student loans. When accreditation standards slip, students pay with their futures and taxpayers foot the bill,” Terjesen wrote in a post on LinkedIn following this week’s meeting. “Just wrapped two days in Washington asking hard questions about whether those standards are being upheld. That accountability is exactly what this committee exists to provide—and I take that responsibility seriously.”

Terjesen joined NACIQI as questions are swirling about board member independence.

NACIQI member Bob Shireman, a Democratic appointee to the bipartisan board, has accused the department of behaving in an autocratic manner for removing Figueira and has questioned whether ED appointees are able to vote independently without fear of retaliation.

But Terjesen told Inside Higher Ed she is not concerned.

“My record as a researcher and academic administrator speaks for itself. I have always prioritized evidence, institutional integrity, and independent judgment over political or external pressure,” Terjesen wrote by email. “I fully expect to bring that same approach to my service on NACIQI, and I would not have accepted the appointment otherwise.”