Trump offered a restrictive deal to universities that almost all rejected – but the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education may not be entirely dead
- Written by Fred L. Pincus, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Only three universities agreed to the higher education compact, which offered benefits in federal funding in exchange for major policy and administrative changes at schools. Alina Naumova/iStock/Getty Images Plus In October 2025, the Trump administration made a controversial proposal to nine major colleges and universities, including Dartmouth...