Topline<\/p>\n
The University of Pennsylvania became the third high-profile university to turn down the Trump administration’s “Compact For Academic Excellence in Higher Education”\u2014a deal that offers special funding advantages for schools that make policy changes aligned with President Donald Trump\u2019s education agenda.<\/p>\n
Penn turned down the compact Thursday. (Photo by Erica Denhoff\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
Penn president J. Larry Jameson said in a brief letter<\/a> Thursday the university declined to sign the compact.<\/p>\n Jameson said Penn \u201cprovided focused feedback highlighting areas of existing alignment as well as substantive concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n Penn\u2019s rejection of the compact comes just one day after Brown University president Christina H. Paxson declined the deal in a letter<\/a> to federal officials, saying in a statement<\/a> its \u201cvarious provisions would restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown\u2019s governance, critically compromising our ability to fulfill our mission.\u201d <\/p>\n Paxson noted Brown\u2019s recent $50 million settlement with the Trump administration to unfreeze federal funds and squash discrimination allegations against it, saying the terms of the settlement advance \u201ca number of the high-level principles articulated in the Compact.\u201d <\/p>\n Paxson also said the settlement also affirms \u201cthe government\u2019s lack of authority to dictate our curriculum or the content of academic speech\u2014a principle that is not reflected in the Compact.\u201d<\/p>\n Paxson said a cover letter describing the compact floats the idea of funding university research on the Trump administration\u2019s own criteria instead of \u201cthe soundness and likely impact of research.\u201d<\/p>\n Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We\u2019re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day\u2019s headlines. Text \u201cAlerts\u201d to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n What Schools Were Initially Offered The Compact?<\/p>\n In addition to Penn, Brown and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, all of which have rejected the deal, the compact was also sent to The University of Arizona, Dartmouth College, the University of Texas, the University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia. The University of Texas said it was \u201chonored\u201d to receive the offer, though the school has not committed to it.<\/p>\n What Does The Compact Ask Schools To Change?<\/p>\n The compact offers funding advantages in exchange for policy changes that align with the president\u2019s agenda. The compact notably asks for the removal of or changes to university departments that \u201cpurposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas.\u201d The deal demands a five-year freeze on tuition, a cap on international student enrollment, SAT requirements for applicants and a ban against the use of race and sex in hiring and admissions processes. It also asks universities to adhere to the government\u2019s binary definition of gender and apply it to restrooms and sports.<\/p>\n What To Watch For<\/p>\n The Trump administration reportedly sent the compact to all higher education institutions after MIT turned it down, according to Bloomberg<\/a>, becoming the first school to do so.<\/p>\n Key Background<\/p>\n The Trump administration\u2019s push for colleges to agree to its compact follows a wide-ranging attack against federal funding for some of the country\u2019s most prestigious universities. As part of a sweeping antisemitism investigation linked to pro-Palestinian protests on several campuses last year, the administration froze billions of dollars in funding for schools including Brown, Columbia University, Harvard University, Cornell University, Princeton University and the University of California Los Angeles. Institutions like Columbia and Brown agreed to settlements to get their funding back, with the former university agreeing to pay $221 million and make changes<\/a> to some of its protest, security and educational policies. Penn settled with the government and agreed to ban transgender athletes from women\u2019s sports after the Education Department alleged Title IX violations.<\/p>\n Further Reading<\/p>\n