University Standoff: Trump Administration's Compact for Academic Excellence Faces Rejection by Six Universities
Several universities have been given a deadline to agree to a set of commitments that align with the Trump administration's priorities in exchange for access to federal funds. The Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education was sent to nine colleges, requiring them to adhere to certain policies such as restricting transgender individuals from using certain facilities, freezing tuition, and implementing standardized tests for admissions. Six out of the nine schools have indicated that they will not sign the document.
MIT was the first to publicly reject the compact, citing disagreements with its principles. Following MIT's rejection, President Trump announced that all colleges would have the opportunity to sign the agreement. Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Southern California also declined the offer.
A virtual meeting was held with colleges that had not yet responded to the compact, including the University of Arizona, the University of Texas at Austin, Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College, and the University of Virginia. Despite the meeting, Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia announced that they would not be signing the agreement.
The University of Virginia expressed that they did not want special treatment when it comes to federal funding and emphasized the importance of merit-based assessments. The previous president of UVA resigned under pressure from the Trump administration over the university's response to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The White House did not provide a comment on the future of the compact. Since Trump took office, the administration has revoked federal research grants from universities over various issues, including transgender policies, diversity programs, and antisemitism on campus.