Top US universities face pressure to adopt Trump’s higher education compact: Here’s why academic freedom is at risk
The Trump administration has urged nine top US universities, including UT Austin and MIT, to sign a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to secure priority access to federal funding. The compact demands tuition freezes, limits on international students, bans on DEI policies, and restrictions on political expression. Universities face funding risks if they refuse, raising concerns about academic freedom and institutional governance under new federal conditions.
The Trump administration has urged nine top US universities, including UT Austin and MIT, to sign a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to secure priority access to federal funding. The compact demands tuition freezes, limits on international students, bans on DEI policies, and restrictions on political expression. Universities face funding risks if they refuse, raising concerns about academic freedom and institutional governance under new federal conditions.
