Trump’s Higher Education Compact Faces Resistance from Top Universities
By COLLIN BINKLEY, AP Education Writer
President Donald Trump’s proposed higher education compact has been met with skepticism and resistance from top universities in the United States. The compact, which aims to reshape higher education through negotiation rather than legislation, has been criticized for its provisions that align with Trump’s political priorities.
Provisions and Concerns
The compact asks universities to adopt 10 pages of commitments, including eliminating race and sex from admissions decisions, accepting the government’s strict binary definition of “man” and “woman,” promoting conservative views on campus, and ensuring “institutional neutrality” on current events. These provisions have raised concerns among university leaders, who believe they would limit free speech and campus independence.
According to a letter sent alongside the compact, Trump officials claim that the agreement provides “multiple positive benefits,” including favorable access to federal funding. However, it is unclear what universities have to gain by agreeing to the deal or what they stand to lose if they don’t. The compact states that institutions of higher education are free to develop their own models and values, but they would have to forego federal benefits if they choose not to adopt the proposed commitments.
Reactions and Rejections
Four of the nine universities invited to be “initial signatories” of the agreement have already rejected the offer. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Southern California have all declined, citing concerns about the compact’s impact on free speech and campus independence.
The University of Virginia has invited campus feedback as it weighs the offer, while Dartmouth President Sian Beilock has stated that she would “never compromise our academic freedom and our ability to govern ourselves.” The University of Texas system has said it is honored to be included, but other universities have not indicated how they are leaning.
A joint statement from over 30 higher education organizations, led by the American Council on Education, has urged the administration to withdraw the compact, citing concerns about government control over colleges’ academics and the potential hindrance of free speech.
Context and Controversy
Trump has made it a priority to win obedience from powerful and prestigious universities, which he describes as bastions of liberalism. His administration has previously cut funding to universities, including Harvard, amid investigations into alleged discrimination and antisemitism. A federal judge in Boston recently reversed the funding cuts, calling them an unconstitutional overreach.
Trump has claimed that colleges that sign on to the compact will help bring about “the Golden Age of Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” and has accused universities of “corrupting our Youth and Society with WOKE, SOCIALIST, and ANTI-AMERICAN Ideology.”
As the deadline for universities to provide initial feedback approaches, it remains to be seen whether any of the remaining five universities will agree to the compact. The White House has asked these universities to join a call on Friday to discuss the proposed deal.
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