WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is reaching out to nine major universities, seeking commitment to President Trump's political priorities in exchange for improved access to federal funds.
Universities have reportedly been asked to adopt a 'Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education' that aligns with the White House's vision for American campuses. This includes adherence to government priorities on issues like admissions, women’s sports, free speech, and student discipline, among other topics.
Signing the compact would enable universities to gain priority access to certain federal grants, though the White House official clarified that funding would not be restricted to these participating institutions. Additional benefits include priority invitations to White House events and discussions with officials.
The proposed agreement obtained by The Associated Press outlines that universities must agree to the government's definitions of gender, affecting policies on bathrooms, locker rooms, and women’s sports teams. Furthermore, it requests these institutions to halt the use of race and gender in admissions decisions as well as enforce standardized testing requirements for undergraduate applicants.
This 10-page initiative targets selective public and private universities, including notable names such as Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The selection criteria for these institutions have not been disclosed, and it's uncertain whether other universities will receive similar offers.
Leaders from the Texas university system expressed pride at being included, seeing potential advantages in federal funding through their participation in the compact. However, responses from other universities on this matter are still pending.
Prior instances have shown the administration using federal funding as leverage over universities, cutting off research funding based on governance disputes.
Additionally, the compact proposes to cap international enrollment to 15% and restrict the number of students from any single country to a maximum of 5%. Participating institutions would also be required to limit tuition fees for U.S. students for at least five years and eliminate tuition fees entirely for domestic students enrolling in “hard science programs.”
On fostering free speech, schools must commit to encouraging diverse viewpoints and address institutional practices perceived as penalizing conservative perspectives.
Each participating school would also be tasked with conducting an annual evaluation poll of their students and faculty to monitor adherence to the compact, with penalties for non-compliance enforced by the Justice Department.
Leaders from the participating university echoed their eagerness to work alongside the administration as they navigate these new responsibilities.
