As Deadline for Trump's Colleges Compact Looms, Schools Signal Dissent
The deadline for nine universities to agree to a list of commitments aligning with the Trump administration's priorities in exchange for priority access to federal grants is Monday. However, as of Sunday night, six of the original schools had indicated they would not be signing the compact.
According to the document sent on October 1, the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education requires schools to bar transgender people from using restrooms or participating in sports that align with their gender identities, freeze tuition for five years, limit international student enrollment, and require standardized tests for admissions. MIT was the first school to publicly reject the compact, stating: "The document is a misguided attempt to impose a narrow ideological agenda on higher education."
Other schools have expressed similar concerns. A spokesperson for the University of California, Berkeley, said: "We are committed to providing an inclusive environment for all students, and we cannot support a policy that discriminates against transgender individuals." The university has not signed the compact.
The Trump administration's push for the compact has been met with criticism from some lawmakers. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) stated: "This is just another example of the administration's attempts to undermine our public universities and impose its own ideological agenda."
Background on the compact shows that it was sent to nine colleges, both private and public, as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to exert influence over higher education. The administration has argued that the compact will help schools prioritize academic excellence.
However, critics argue that the compact's requirements are overly restrictive and would harm students. A spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said: "This is an attempt to use federal funding as a tool of ideological coercion."
As the deadline approaches, it remains unclear which schools will ultimately sign the compact. The current status indicates that at least six of the original nine schools have declined to participate.
The next development in this story will be on Monday, when the deadline for signing the compact passes. It is expected that more schools may issue statements regarding their stance on the compact in the coming days.
*Reporting by Npr.*
