Seven Universities Decline to Sign Trump Administration's "Compact"

[Coventina]

Seven universities have declined to sign a “compact” to agree to the Trump administration’s demands regarding admissions, campus hiring policies and speech in classrooms in exchange for federal funding. The letter was sent to nine universities earlier this month. The universities rejecting the compact include the University of Arizona, Brown University, Dartmouth College, MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California and the University of Virginia. Vanderbilt University reportedly expressed reservations, while the University of Texas signaled that it was open to signing the compact.

***short article, no more at link***

https://www.democracynow.org/2025/10/21/headlines/seven_universities_decline_to_sign_trump_administrations_compact

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ASU will probably sign it.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

1. Good..courage!!

[CTyankee]

2. Can someone tell me why Yale isn't on that list?

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Yale wasn't included in the 9 universities asked to sign.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-nine-universities-compact-federal-funds/

According to a White House official, a letter outlining the plan and a copy of the agreement were sent on Wednesday to the University of Arizona, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, University of Texas, University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.
The official declined to say whether the Trump administration plans to make a similar offer to other colleges.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. MddowBlog-Why so many universities are rejecting the White House's proposed 'compact'

Team Trump sent several leading U.S. universities a proposed one-sided deal. They’re balking at the offer, and it’s worth understanding why.

Why so many universities are rejecting the White House’s proposed ‘compact’

flip.it/4Cpf5d

— (@gypsydaveh.bsky.social) 2025-10-20T23:16:24.411Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/many-universities-are-rejecting-white-houses-proposed-compact-rcna238704

Donald Trump and his administration have spent much of the year targeting American higher education in a multifaceted campaign, but the story took an unexpected turn earlier this month when the Republican White House unveiled a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.”.....

It’s not working: Last week, five giants in higher education — Brown University, M.I.T., the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California and the University of Virginia — all effectively told the White House, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

The New York Times reported on one especially interesting element of the larger story:

Brown’s decision, in particular, is a case study of how the White House may have misjudged its own strength and academia’s nerve, especially once one of Mr. Trump’s top aides said that the nine schools initially chosen to consider the proposal were ‘good actors,’ or could be. After Trump officials abruptly moved to shut off federal money in April, Brown forged a multimillion-dollar settlement in July. But when the Trump administration returned this month and asked the school to consider its ideology-for-funding compact, it refused to sign.

In other words, earlier this year, Brown was one of the many universities that came under fire from Team Trump. A few months later, the school grudgingly struck deal with the administration......

And it was at that point that Brown decided it wasn’t negotiating with an administration working in good faith. (It was a lesson Columbia University learned months earlier.)

It was also a lesson a variety of prominent American law firms also learned this year.

The broader point shouldn’t be lost on those working in any field: Trying to appease or placate the White House is a fool’s errand. Yes, those who refuse Team Trump’s ridiculous offer risk drawing the president’s wrath. But therein lies the point: Accepting his offers won’t immunize you. On the contrary, he’ll just keep coming back for more.

It’s something for the other schools still weighing what to do with the proposed “compact” to keep in mind.