Multiple colleges are spurning a compact sent by the Trump administration to nine universities in early October, which promised funding advantages in exchange for policy changes. The 10-point memo, titled the 'Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education', made sweeping demands ranging from hiring to admissions, campus culture, and foreign student enrollment. Three universities have so far rejected the compact: the University of Pennsylvania, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Brown University. These institutions argue that the compact infringes on free speech and academic autonomy. The Trump administration's demands include tuition freezes, post-graduation earnings disclosure, and expanded opportunities for service members. Additionally, the compact limits foreign student populations and restricts tuition for undergraduate students in hard sciences at institutions with endowments over $2 billion. In response, the universities would receive priority in funding decisions. The administration initially offered the compact to nine schools, including Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College, the University of Southern California, and the University of Virginia. MIT, Brown University, and the University of Pennsylvania have publicly rejected the compact, citing concerns over free speech, academic freedom, and institutional autonomy. The universities argue that the compact's criteria for funding research are flawed and could harm American society. The rejection of the compact highlights the tension between federal government influence and academic autonomy, sparking debates on the future of higher education funding and policy.
