• The Trump administration requests nine universities to commit to its political agenda for federal funding.
• The proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence" mandates universities to align with Trump’s priorities on various issues.
• Institutions agreeing to the compact would gain priority access to federal grants and White House events.
• The initiative has drawn criticism for threatening academic independence and free expression.
• Universities must respond to the proposal by November 21, 2025.

The Trump administration is pressuring nine major universities, including the University of Southern California, to align with its political priorities to secure favored access to federal funding. The proposed initiative, termed the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” outlines conditions ranging from admissions policies to women’s sports, free speech, and student discipline. Schools that sign this compact would receive prioritized federal grants, although funding would not be exclusively limited to these institutions, according to latimes and trtglobal.

The compact, drawn up in a 10-page document, mandates that participating colleges adopt the government’s definitions of gender for campus facilities, halt the consideration of race and other demographics in admissions, and require standardized SAT or ACT tests for undergraduate applicants. The White House claims this initiative offers "substantial and meaningful federal grants" alongside other financial benefits, as indicated in reports by Indiatimes and latimes.

The list of universities includes some of the most prestigious, such as Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The choice of these institutions has raised questions regarding the selection process and potential impacts on their operational autonomy. Texas college officials have expressed optimism about the funding potential, with Kevin Eltife, chair of the UT Board of Regents, stating they look forward to working with the Trump administration, according to trtglobal and Indiatimes.

In stark contrast, California Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the potential pitfalls of signing the compact, asserting that universities that comply could risk losing significant state funding including Cal Grants. He questioned the implications for academic freedom and integrity, which could be at stake if schools succumb to financial incentives, echoing concerns raised by educational leaders who warn that this could be a "Faustian bargain," as reported by Indiatimes and trtglobal.

Compliance with the compact includes enforcement measures from the Justice Department, which could impose penalties on violators. Schools opting out would forfeit access to federal benefits and would be required to assess adherence via annual polls of students and faculty. This ambitious proposal could significantly alter the landscape of higher education and provoke a wider debate about the role of ideology and political allegiance within U.S. universities, with viewpoints from latimes, trtglobal, and Indiatimes.