Brown University turns down Trump’s proposed higher education compact

Brown University, along with several other prestigious American universities, has publicly refused to join the Trump administration’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” The compact, shared with nine select universities earlier this month, required limits on various academic freedoms, including capping enrollment of international students, freezing tuition rates, and restricting employees’ actions related to societal and political issues.

Brown University’s Position

Brown University President, in a letter addressed to senior officials at the White House and US Education Secretary Linda E. McMahon, firmly rejected the compact. The letter emphasized that while Brown agrees with certain overarching goals of the compact, the provisions that would restrict academic freedom and autonomy are unacceptable. The letter asserted the University’s commitment to academic freedom and self-governance.

Other Universities’ Responses

• MIT was the first to reject the compact, with President Sally Kornbluth stating it was “inconsistent with core beliefs in merit-based scientific funding.”
• Student government representatives from Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, and other universities have publicly urged administrations to reject the political interference posed by the compact.

Trump Administration’s Higher Education Compact

The administration’s proposal seeks to address what it describes as a decline in educational values. President Trump has criticized higher education on social media, describing it as promoting “woke, socialist, and anti-American” ideologies. The compact directed schools to align with specific definitions and curtail political demonstrations that disrupt educational environments.

Wide Rejection and Campus Protests

Faculty and student leaders are actively participating in protests against the compact. At Dartmouth, more than 500 faculty members signed a petition calling the proposal an “unprecedented attack on higher education.” At Brown, faculty member Paja Faudree likened the compact to “extortion.”

Future of the Compact

The proposal remains open for discussion, with comments due by October 20 and decisions expected by November 21. However, it faces significant opposition from the academic community, which views it as an overreach of federal authority into academic affairs.