University Of Pennsylvania Refuses Trump's Funding Deal--Third School To Reject Compact

[lostincalifornia]

"The University of Pennsylvania became the third high-profile university to turn down the Trump administration's "Compact For Academic Excellence in Higher Education"—a deal that offers special funding advantages for schools that make policy changes aligned with President Donald Trump’s education agenda.

.......

What Schools Were Initially Offered The Compact?
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 “honored” to receive the offer, though the school has not committed to it.

What Does The Compact Ask Schools To Change?
The compact offers funding advantages in exchange for policy changes that align with the president’s agenda. The compact notably asks for the removal of or changes to university departments that “purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas.” 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’s binary definition of gender and apply it to restrooms and sports.

What To Watch For
The Trump administration reportedly sent the compact to all higher education institutions after MIT turned it down, according to Bloomberg, becoming the first school to do so.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/10/16/university-of-pennsylvania-refuses-trumps-funding-deal-third-school-to-reject-compact/

[Scrivener7]

1. How about it, Columbia? We'd like to stop being ashamed of you.

[hedda_foil]

2. Which schools have accepted the "deal"? That's the question.

[MichMan]

3. Hope they tell the Feds to get lost

Reminds me of Hillsdale College in the late 70's. They were told since they refused to submit Title IX reports to the Federal government, they would be prohibited from receiving any Federal funding. Hillsdale replied that they weren't getting any anyway, and as such the reports were not required, which ended up being correct.

The Feds were not happy and then told them that since their students were receiving Federally backed student loans, that was indirect Federal funding and therefore they still had to comply or it would be cut off. The case ended up going to the SC and the court ruled that the reports could not be required, but the government was allowed to cut off all student loans and grants. Hillsdale decided they would just fund them themselves from their endowment and have continued to do so up to this day.

There is already precedent for the Federal government to do the same now with any other colleges by making students ineligible for loans and grants. Say what you want about Hillsdale, but at least they had the convictions to tell the Feds to fuck off.

[obamanut2012]

4. USC just came out saying No.