Overview
- Seven of nine universities initially asked for feedback have rejected the plan, and Inside Higher Ed reports that leaders at 11 institutions have publicly said they will not sign the current draft.
- The University of Pennsylvania released its rejection letter, arguing the compact lacks academic-freedom safeguards and should not tie federal support to ideological conditions, while stating it seeks no special treatment beyond merit-based funding.
- The University of Minnesota Senate voted 123–18 to oppose the proposal and urged campus leadership to reject it, calling the provisions antithetical to the university’s mission and independence.
- Key provisions would freeze tuition for five years, cap international undergraduate enrollment at 15%, define sex biologically for facilities and athletics, impose institutional neutrality rules, and subject signatories to Justice Department compliance reviews with potential funding penalties.
- USC, Virginia and Arizona declined to sign, Vanderbilt and Washington University in St. Louis said they would provide feedback without committing, and the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Kansas have not issued public rejections.