Trump Asks 9 Colleges to Sign Political Compact for Fed Funding Priority/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has asked nine major universities to sign a “Compact for Academic Excellence.” The pact ties favorable access to federal money to adopting Trump’s political priorities on admissions, gender, sports, and free speech. Colleges face tuition caps, limits on international students, and Justice Department enforcement if they sign.
Quick Look: Trump’s University Compact
- White House sent a 10-page “Compact for Academic Excellence” to nine universities.
- Schools asked to adopt Trump’s vision on admissions, gender policies, women’s sports, free speech, and tuition.
- Complying schools gain priority access to federal funding and White House events.
- Provisions include mandatory SAT/ACT, bans on race-based admissions, and tuition caps.
- Universities that violate terms face penalties enforced by the Justice Department.
- International enrollment capped at 15%, with no more than 5% from one country.
- Critics see it as political leverage; Texas Regents welcomed the proposal.
Deep Look: Trump Pressures Universities to Sign Education Compact for Funding Advantage
WASHINGTON — The Trump White House is pressing a group of elite universities to align with its political agenda in exchange for privileged access to federal funds, escalating the administration’s effort to reshape higher education.
On Wednesday, nine universities — including Ivy League and top-tier public institutions — received a proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” a 10-page document obtained by the Associated Press. The pact lays out conditions that institutions must meet if they want to receive priority access to research money, federal grants, and White House policy discussions.
Trump’s Education Compact
The compact asks universities to adopt Trump’s positions on a wide range of contentious issues:
- Admissions: Eliminate race, gender, and other demographic considerations; mandate SAT or ACT scores for undergraduates.
- Gender and Sports: Adopt the federal government’s definition of gender for use in bathrooms, locker rooms, and women’s athletic programs.
- International Enrollment: Cap foreign students at 15% of undergraduates, with no more than 5% from any single nation.
- Tuition and Affordability: U.S. tuition must be capped for five years; wealthiest universities would be required to offer free tuition for “hard science” majors.
- Free Speech: Campuses must protect a full spectrum of views, including conservative perspectives, and dismantle units that “belittle or punish” them.
Each university would also be required to conduct an annual poll of students and faculty measuring adherence to the compact. Enforcement would fall to the Justice Department, with penalties ranging from one to two years of lost federal benefits for violations.
Which Universities Were Targeted?
The schools that received the proposal include:
- Vanderbilt University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Dartmouth College
- University of Southern California
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Texas
- University of Arizona
- Brown University
- University of Virginia
It remains unclear why these nine institutions were chosen or whether other colleges will receive similar offers.
Reactions From Universities
So far, reactions have been mixed. The University of Texas system responded with enthusiasm.
Kevin Eltife, chair of the Board of Regents, said they were “honored” that UT Austin was included and welcomed the “potential funding advantages” of the plan.
Other universities either declined comment or did not immediately respond.
Political Leverage Through Federal Funds
The compact represents the latest example of the Trump administration using control of federal funding as political leverage. The White House has previously withheld research grants from schools such as Harvard and Columbia in disputes over governance and policy.
The administration argues the compact promotes fairness, affordability, and accountability in higher education. But critics say it is a politicized intrusion into universities’ autonomy — effectively forcing them to adopt partisan policies or risk losing critical federal money.
Labor unions, faculty associations, and higher education advocacy groups are expected to challenge the legality of the compact if adopted.
What’s Next?
If signed, the compact could reshape university policies nationwide, setting precedent for how federal dollars are tied to political demands. Whether universities will accept remains uncertain. For many elite schools, compliance would mean drastically revising admissions standards, reducing foreign student enrollment, and restructuring campus policies.
The compact itself acknowledges the high stakes: “Institutions of higher education are free to develop models and values other than those below — if the institution elects to forego federal benefits.”
You must Register or Login to post a comment.