The president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has turned down a White House proposal linking federal funding to universities’ backing of President Donald Trump’s political priorities.
MIT President Sally Kornbluth expressed in a letter to the Trump administration that the university is against a plan that ties access to government research grants to supporting the president’s agenda. Kornbluth stated that the proposal contains elements that could limit free speech and undermine academic independence, which are fundamental values MIT is not willing to compromise.
Kornbluth emphasized that funding for scientific research should be solely based on merit. Therefore, MIT cannot endorse the suggested method of addressing challenges in higher education.
The “Higher Education Compact,” circulated to nine prominent universities recently, requires them to adopt policy stances reflecting Trump’s positions on admissions, women’s sports, free speech, and student discipline in exchange for significant federal grants. The universities were asked to provide feedback by October 20 and make a final decision by November 21.
Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, USC, the University of Arizona, and the University of Virginia were among the invited institutions. MIT is among the first to take a public stance against the proposal, as reported by the Associated Press.
The White House has presented the initiative as a means to strengthen the relationship between the government and academia, which has faced challenges due to accusations of bias and hostility towards conservative viewpoints at elite schools. However, many in higher education view it as political pressure.
Various groups, including faculty, students, and some conservatives, have criticized the plan as a form of political coercion. Officials in Tucson and at the University of Virginia cautioned against certain terms of the proposal due to their potential impact on academic freedom.
Some policy experts on the right also expressed discomfort with the proposal. Frederick Hess from the American Enterprise Institute called it “profoundly problematic” and stated that the government’s demands lacked legal basis.
On the other hand, Democrats in the Virginia Senate threatened to reduce funding to the University of Virginia if it agrees to the deal, citing concerns about relinquishing independence to federal control. California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a similar warning to USC.
Brown University President Christina Paxson, who had previous dealings with the White House, mentioned that she would seek input from the campus community before making a decision.
The compact is the administration’s latest attempt to reshape higher education in the U.S. It mandates that universities with substantial endowments freeze tuition for five years and offer free tuition for science students if their endowments exceed $2 million per undergraduate. It also requires the use of SAT or ACT scores, prohibits consideration of race or sex in admissions, and enforces a binary gender definition in campus life and athletics.
Kornbluth highlighted that MIT already adheres to many principles the White House advocates for, such as merit-based admissions and affordability. She emphasized that MIT will uphold its values independently, stating that the university’s autonomy is non-negotiable.