"Restriction of Academic Freedom,
Undermining Governance Autonomy"
The New York Times reported on October 15 (local time) that Brown University, a prestigious Ivy League institution, has refused to sign a federal agreement that would prohibit considering race and gender in admissions policies, following the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
According to the report, Brown University President Christina Paxson sent a letter to the Trump administration on the same day, stating, "Given the fundamental nature and various provisions of this agreement, I am concerned that it would restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown University's governance." She thus declined to sign the agreement.
On October 2, the Trump administration sent letters to nine major U.S. universities, including Brown University, urging them to sign the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." The universities that received the letter were Dartmouth College, University of Pennsylvania, MIT, Brown University, Vanderbilt University, University of Arizona, University of Southern California, University of Texas, and University of Virginia.
The Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education includes ten provisions, such as: prohibiting consideration of race or gender in admissions and hiring processes; limiting the enrollment rate of international undergraduate students to 15%; requiring submission of SAT or equivalent standardized test scores for college admissions; and reorganizing or abolishing organizations that criticize or suppress conservative viewpoints. The Trump administration stated that universities signing the agreement would receive various benefits, including federal funding.
MIT was the first to respond, becoming the initial university among the nine to reject the Trump administration's request to sign the agreement on October 11. MIT President Sally Kornbluth explained in her letter to the administration that "financial support for scientific research must be based solely on scientific merit."
The Trump administration's higher education policy has become a political issue. Gavin Newsom, the progressive governor of California and a political adversary of President Trump, issued an official statement warning that state universities signing the Trump administration's agreement would face immediate cuts of billions of dollars in state funding, including Cal Grants.
Meanwhile, after returning to office, President Trump has pressured top U.S. universities such as Harvard University and Duke University to abolish DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies by suspending research funding.
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