By Liam Knox, Greg Ryan and Elizabeth Rembert, Bloomberg News The U.S. Department of Education wants to grease the wheels for college mergers and acquisitions, a rare Trump administration proposal with broad support from university leaders who see the policy helping the sector withstand a wave of financial distress. The agency aims to expedite and simplify M&A reviews within the next year, according to Under Secretary Nicholas Kent, the top federal official overseeing higher education.