On Oct. 1, the Trump Administration sent a letter to nine universities, inviting them to sign on to a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”. By signing the letter, the invited institutions commit to implementing the 10 points listed in the document. In exchange, the letter promises “multiple positive benefits,” for participating institutions, although the exact advantages are not specified.
The 10-point compact mandates the following:
- Nondiscrimination in admissions and hiring, meaning no factor such as sex, ethnicity, race, sexuality, gender orientation, national origin, disability, or political or religious beliefs shall be considered in any decision.
- Ensure a marketplace of ideas by abolishing units that “belittle conservative ideas” and institute policies recognizing that academic freedom is “not absolute.”
- Commit to using lawful force against demonstrators that disrupt class instruction or libraries, heckle or accost other students, or obstruct parts of campus based on identity.
- Ensure institutional neutrality and prevent university representatives from engaging in speech or actions relating to societal or political events.
- Adhere to strict gender definitions, only recognizing “male” or “female.”
- Require restrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities to be used based on a person’s biological sex at birth.
- Cap international student enrollment to 15%, with no more than 5% from any one country. The selected students must also be introduced to and be supportive of “American and Western values,” and “appreciation for the United States and our way of life.”
- Assist the federal government in detecting, preventing, and eradicating “terrorist financial activity” or support for entities designated by the U.S. government as terrorist organizations.
- Eliminate “unnecessary” administrative staff, freeze tuition rates, and cut costs by streamlining or eliminating programs that “fail to serve students.”
- There are exceptions for religious or single-sex institutions.
The University of Texas at Austin is one of the nine universities invited to sign the compact, once again putting Texas at the forefront of the Trump Administration’s efforts to bring universities to heel as part of its “anti-woke” agenda. In a statement responding to the letter, Kevin Eltife, the chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, said, “We enthusiastically look forward to engaging with university officials and reviewing the compact immediately.”