AUSTIN, Texas — The fight over academic freedom continues at the University of Texas at Austin as university leaders consider a White House offer that would trade federal funding for a new set of rules.
Students say the demands in the deal could limit free speech. They also warn that faculty jobs could be at risk if the university signs the compact.
“You know the environment of Austin. You know what we believe in,” said Elizabeth, a UT Austin student.
UT Austin students marched across campus Monday evening, chanting and calling on university leaders to reject President Donald Trump’s Higher Education Compact.
“I’d like to send a message to UT leaders that there are students that are absolutely not okay with this and that we care about our programs here at UT,” said Raeh Corl, a UT student.
The university confirmed that the Trump administration asked UT Austin to sign onto a new set of rules in return for federal funding benefits. Eight other universities, including USC, Penn and Brown, received the same offer — and all rejected it.
“It is anti-free speech, anti-affirmative action,” said Alfredo Campos, a UT Austin student.
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According to the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, the proposed changes include no longer considering race, gender, or nationality in admissions or hiring, capping international student enrollment, and requiring campuses to stay politically neutral.
“We’d have to promise to shut down programs that are deemed as inefficient,” Campos added. “The victims of this would be black studies, gender studies, ethnic studies.”
UT students say signing the compact could limit free speech and academic freedom.
“I’m asking UT leaders to listen to us, to recognize who is attending your school and who is paying thousands of dollars every year to get our education here,” said Raeh Corl.
CBS Austin reached out to UT Austin asking if the university plans on signing the compact and what that decision would mean for the future of academic freedom and campus governance. The station received an email stating, “We have no update on the compact beyond Chairman Eltife’s statement from Oct. 2.” In that statement, sent to the Texas Tribune, Eltife said the system was honored UT Austin was selected to be part of the Trump administration’s proposal.
“Do what you know is right and what your students want,” said Elizabeth.
Students say they’ll keep pushing back if the university signs the compact. University officials haven’t given a timeline for a decision, but students say the debate over academic freedom is far from over.