Brown University has rebuffed the latest overture from the Trump administration to accept new conditions for federal funding outlined as a Compact for Excellence in Higher Education.
鈥淚 am concerned that the Compact by its nature and by various provisions would restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown鈥檚 governance, critically compromising our ability to fulfill our mission,鈥� wrote Brown President Christina H. Paxson in a.
offers Brown certain 鈥渇unding advantages鈥� in exchange for some major concessions. Among them, Brown would agree to freeze tuition for five years, cap international undergraduate enrollment at 15%, stop grade inflation, make SATs mandatory, and ban using race as a consideration in admissions and hiring 鈥� or risk losing federal funding.
The administration also demanded strict prohibitions against anything on campus that would 鈥減unish, belittle and even spark violence against conservative ideas.鈥�
Brown was one of nine universities to receive the compact. The request also went out to Dartmouth, the University of Arizona, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Virginia, Vanderbilt and MIT.
MIT was the first university to reject the proposal.
President that MIT鈥檚 commitment to merit, affordability, and protecting free speech already 鈥渕eet or exceed many standards of the document you sent.鈥�
鈥淚n our view, America鈥檚 leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence,鈥� Kornbluth wrote. 鈥淚n that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences.鈥�
Brown president Paxson鈥檚 letter reiterated some of the same points and politely reminded the White House that with the Trump administration.
The ACLU of Rhode Island applauded Paxson鈥檚 decision to reject the new demands.
鈥淪aying 鈥榥o鈥� to the federal government鈥檚 attempts to control higher education, especially after agreeing to the administration鈥檚 demands once, is of critical importance for education across the country,鈥� said R.I. ACLU president Steven Brown in a statement.
The White House has yet to respond to Brown鈥檚 statement specifically. But, a spokesperson said President Trump remains 鈥渃ommitted to restoring academic excellence and common sense at our higher education institutions鈥� and that 鈥渁ny university that joins this historic effort will help to positively shape America鈥檚 future.鈥�
This story was originally published by It was shared as part of the New England News Collaborative.
