Elite US universities are overwhelmingly rejecting President Donald Trump's controversial "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," a proposal dangling preferential research funding in exchange for ideological concessions. The White House convened a Friday call with five undecided schools—Dartmouth College, University of Arizona, University of Texas, Vanderbilt University, and University of Virginia—to pitch the 10-page deal, but by day's end, UVA had become the fifth outright decliner, joining MIT, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, and USC in defiance.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon framed the meeting as a "shared vision" for American higher education's greatness, posting on X about renewed commitments to timeless principles and ongoing dialogues. She stressed universities' role in powering the economy and innovation, pledging continued federal investment alongside strong leadership to bolster global competitiveness and workforce readiness. Yet, the collaborative tone masks mounting resistance, with no signatories among the original nine invitees as the October 20 feedback deadline looms.

UVA's interim president Paul Mahoney cited fears that merit-free funding would erode research integrity and public trust, opting instead for "alternative, lasting approaches" to reform. The compact demands include scrapping race and sex in admissions, enforcing a binary gender definition, amplifying conservative viewpoints, and maintaining "institutional neutrality" on politics—provisions critics decry as loyalty oaths that stifle free speech and academic freedom. "Institutions can choose other models if they forego federal benefits," the document warns, echoing Trump's Truth Social vow for a "Golden Age" by purging "WOKE, SOCIALIST, and ANTI-AMERICAN Ideology."

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Student and faculty backlash is fierce, exemplified at Vanderbilt where postdoc Marjolein Mues warned the compact is a "first hook" inviting escalating government meddling in research and campus life. Over 30 higher education groups, led by the American Council on Education, issued a joint Friday statement blasting the proposal as a "step in the wrong direction" granting unprecedented governmental control over curricula. Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom threaten state funding cuts for signatories, while universities ramp up lobbying—spending 122% more in Q2 2025—to counter the pressure.

This wave of rejections marks a turning point in Trump's crusade against perceived liberal strongholds, following punitive actions like Harvard's slashed billions in funding—later ruled unconstitutional. Unlike prior settlements with Brown and Columbia that safeguarded academic freedom, the compact offers no such protections, fueling concerns it could politicize campuses and diminish US higher ed's global stature. As holdouts like UT express vague honor at the invite, the standoff tests the administration's leverage, with experts fearing long-term damage to innovation and diversity if pressures persist.

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