Universities Reject Trump's Academic Compact

The Trump administration in early October sent a 10-point “Compact for Academic Excellence” to several universities offering preferential federal funding in exchange for sweeping governance and ideological changes. Proposals include banning DEI programs; prohibiting consideration of race, sex or religion in hiring and admissions; capping undergraduate international enrollment at 15%; freezing tuition; and requiring standardized tests, among other measures. Several elite institutions — including Dartmouth, MIT, Brown, Penn, USC, the University of Virginia and the University of Arizona — have publicly declined or refused to sign, and Arizona submitted a separate Statement of Principles instead. Faculty and campus groups have mounted opposition, including large petitions at Dartmouth, arguing the compact would erode academic freedom and institutional independence, while some campus conservatives have voiced support for parts of the plan. The White House has continued outreach to colleges, says it will revise the compact based on feedback, but officials acknowledge securing top schools’ acceptance of ideological funding conditions has proven difficult.