6 universities reject White House funding deal with attached demands. Multiple other schools have yet to respond

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN US

Updated Oct 18, 2025, 12:57 PM ET
PUBLISHED Oct 16, 2025, 4:00 AM ET


The battle for academic freedom and institutional sovereignty in higher education continues to play out as another university has rejected a White House offer for expanded access to federal funding in return for agreeing to a series of demands.

After a meeting at the White House Friday, the University of Virginia declined an offer by the Trump administration to join a compact that would potentially give preferential funding in exchange for a list of changes to school policy, including no longer considering sex and ethnicity in admissions and capping international enrollment. The letter was sent to nine universities at the beginning of the month, and a total of five schools have rejected the offer so far.

The compact is aimed at “the proactive improvement of higher education for the betterment of the country,” according to a letter sent to the universities. USC, Penn, Brown University, Dartmouth College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have all also rejected the proposal. Other schools – a mix of public and private universities – have either said they are reviewing the compact or haven’t commented publicly.

Before UVA announced it was declining the offer, Trump officials on Friday convened representatives from the school and several other universities – including three additional schools that have now been asked to sign on to the compact, a White House official said. The White House cast Friday’s conversation as “productive” and said it is now up to the schools to decide. CNN has reached out to the remaining schools for comment.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/16/us/trump-universities-compact-funding

[Moostache]

1. Any university that says yes is research dead.

FAFO comes to academia.
Remember...everything he touches DIES, EVERYTHING!!!

[BigmanPigman]

2. Good for you Penn!

I told my sister about it yesterday since she went there. I think all of tRumps spawn attended Penn, too.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. "I think all of tRumps spawn attended Penn, too"

45 went there (his last 2 years of college).

One of my grandfathers went to the dental school there.

[werdna]

3. Yes! Reject extortionist B.S.! n/t

[Paladin]

5. I hope the University of Texas walks away from this garbage. (nt)

[Scrivener7]

6. Columbia needs to redeem itself and reject that crap.

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. Well I would like to see which ones caved in and which are still fighting.

But, I am not allowing their cookies just to read one article.

I am hoping that the universities will figure out that they will be better off not bowing to the orange tinpot dictator.

[Septua]

8. "Of the nine universities that the officials said were sent the letter, six have formally responded...

..by declining the offer – MIT, Penn, Brown University, USC, Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia."

Vanderbilt University and the University of Arizona have said they are reviewing the compact, with Arizona’s president saying the “proposal has generated a wide range of reactions and perspectives.” Neither of the schools have indicated if they are planning to sign on or not.

The University of Texas at Austin took a different tone than its counterparts. They didn’t say if they would sign the agreement, but they “welcome the new opportunity presented to us and we look forward to working with the Trump Administration on it.”

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. Thank you so much!

Having had connections with Vandy, I wonder what their end result will be?

I think Bill Lee will have a conniption fit if they say no.