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Reposted by Courtney Joslin

Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 1d

Student government leaders of MIT, UVA, U of AZ, Dartmouth, UPenn, Brown, and Vanderbilt united in their opposition to the "compact" proposed by the Trump administration.

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d

www.instagram.com/p/DPm507ljBJ...

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Globe New Hampshire @globenh.bsky.social · 4d

More than 500 Dartmouth faculty members signed a petition urging the college to reject a compact proposed by the Trump administration that would give preferential treatment for federal funding to colleges that agree to uphold President Trump’s priorities.

More than 500 Dartmouth faculty urge college to reject Trump’s compact - The Boston Globe

Professors delivered a petition to the university’s president on Thursday, calling the compact an “unprecedented attack on higher education."

trib.al

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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 3d

New from me at Cato: I go through the numerous and massive First Amendment and academic-freedom violations of Trump's proffered "compact" with universities and then talk about the mechanism by which it would be enforced, by way of what I describe as a "retroactive push-button guillotine."

Universities Must Defend Their Independence by Rejecting Trump's "Compact"

The Trump administration has proffered a “compact” to universities that would require them to surrender their independence and academic freedom. How many First Amendment violations can we identify in ...

www.cato.org

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 3d

Has Dartmouth formally rejected the compact? Do you have a link to a source? TY

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Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 4d

@mit.edu has done an incredibly important service to the nation by being willing to be the first school to reject the administration's "compact."

President Kornbluth focuses—and she's right—on the principle that "scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."

The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 4d

MIT becomes the first of the 9 targeted universities to refuse the "compact."

"“Fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone,” [MIT President] Dr. Kornbluth wrote."

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

M.I.T. Rejects a White House Offer for Special Funding Treatment

www.nytimes.com

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Josh Moody @byjoshmoody.bsky.social · 4d

MIT rejects federal compact:

www.insidehighered.com/news/governa...

MIT Rejects Proposed Federal Compact

MIT is the first institution to reject a proposal by the Trump administration that would trade preferential treatment on federal funding in exchange for far-reaching changes.

www.insidehighered.com

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Josh Moody @byjoshmoody.bsky.social · 4d

MIT rejects "compact" proposed by the Trump administration.
MIT prez wrote: it "would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution" and "is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."
orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega...

Regarding the Compact | MIT Organization Chart

orgchart.mit.edu

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Ryan Enos @ryanenos.bsky.social · 5d

Harvard (and all universities) must take a stand against Trump's extorionary "compact". Enos and Levitsky.
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Harvard Must Take a Stand Against Trump’s Compact | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson

Harvard, rather than quietly pursuing its own appeasement strategy, should lead the way to preserve academic freedom and democracy.

www.thecrimson.com

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aaupbrownchapter.bsky.social @aaupbrownchapter.bsky.social · 6d

Brown Chapter of the AAUP's Statement Urging the University to Reject the Federal Government's “Compact”
www.brownchapteraaup.org/statements

Statements — Brown AAUP

www.brownchapteraaup.org

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 6d

Strong statement against the "compact" issued tonight from the Brown AAUP Chapter

www.brownchapteraaup.org/statements

Statements — Brown AAUP

www.brownchapteraaup.org

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 7d

"The Vanderbilt Chapter of the AAUP stands with the national AAUP, the AAUP chapters of the other targeted universities, and members of the Vanderbilt community in opposing the Compact and demanding that our administration do so as well."

Jonathan Gilligan @jgilligan.org · 8d

The Vanderbilt chapter of @aaup.org has issued a statement condemning President Trump's proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" as an illegal assault on civil rights, academic freedom, shared governance, and institutional autonomy.

vanderbiltaaup.org/2025/10/06/s...

Statement by the Vanderbilt AAUP Executive Committee on the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”

October 6, 2025 On October 2nd, Vanderbilt was among nine universities “invited” to sign a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” with the federal government. The Compact, however, i…

vanderbiltaaup.org

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 8d

Helpful context from @fishkin.bsky.social on the proposed "compact" with universities.

Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 10d

I thought I'd put the administration's proposed "compact" with universities in context, so I wrote the blog post below.

It's especially for journalists covering this story!

Many details about how the compact itself works and why the administration has retreated to this strategy.

Balkinization: The Art of Replacing the Law with the Deal

A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics

balkin.blogspot.com

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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 10d

Important context from @genevievelakier.bsky.social:

Genevieve Lakier @genevievelakier.bsky.social · 11d

The Trump Administration’s “Compact of Excellence” for Universities is... far from excellent! Indeed, it’s unconstitutional. In this post, let me count the ways.

blog.dividedargument.com/p/the-uncons...

The Unconstitutional Conditions Doctrine and the Compact for Excellence

Members of the Trump administration love to say that federal funding is a privilege not a right and therefore something that can be granted or withheld based on changing administrative priorities.

blog.dividedargument.com

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Brian Soucek @brsoucek.bsky.social · 11d

Strong statement today from UC's Academic Senate:

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 11d

Berkeley Law Dean Chemerinsky on Trump's proposed "compact" with universities:

"It is not hyperbole to say that the future of higher education in America requires that every university reject it. ..."

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion

www.nytimes.com

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The University of Chicago Press @uchicagopress.bsky.social · 11d

An important piece from Brian Soucek (@brsoucek.bsky.social), author of THE OPINIONATED UNIVERSITY, coming in January 2026.

www.salon.com/2025/10/02/w...

When military recruiters visit, colleges must support trans students

The trans ban violates the missions of universities — and their silence is dishonorable

www.salon.com

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 11d

The Univ. of California systemwide Academic Council "calls on the [UC] Office of the Pres. and the UC Board of Regents to unequivocally reject govt'al demands that compromise institutional autonomy and academic freedom."

Brian Soucek @brsoucek.bsky.social · 11d

Strong statement today from UC's Academic Senate:

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PBS News @pbsnews.org · 12d

The White House is asking nine major universities to commit to President Donald Trump’s political priorities in exchange for more favorable access to federal money.
https://to.pbs.org/3IDyV5d

Trump asks 9 colleges to commit to his political agenda for better access to federal money

A document sent to the universities encourages them to adopt the White House’s vision for America’s campuses, with commitments to accept the government’s priorities on admissions, women’s sports, free...

www.pbs.org

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · 19d

Congrats! 🎉

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AAUP @aaup.org · 28d

BREAKING:

A historic coalition of national & California labor unions led by the AAUP filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the illegal & coercive use of civil rights laws to attack the University of California system & the rights of their members.

UC employees, not waiting on leaders, sue Trump for 'financial coercion' over UCLA cuts

University of California faculty, students and staff on Tuesday sued President Trump over a $1.2-million penalty against UCLA and federal demands over campus changes. They argued that the actions camp...

www.latimes.com

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CNN @cnn.com · Sep 11

Harvard University says it has started receiving notices that many federal grants halted by the Trump administration will be reinstated after a federal judge ruled that the cuts were illegal.

Trump administration takes first steps to restore Harvard’s funding, but money isn’t flowing yet | CNN

Harvard University says it has started receiving notices that many federal grants halted by the Trump administration will be reinstated after a federal judge ruled that the cuts were illegal.

www.cnn.com

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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · Sep 3

NEWS: Harvard University scored a major legal victory in its battle with the Trump administration after a court ruled that the US illegally froze more than $2 billion in research funding. (Bloomberg)

Harvard $2 Billion Funding Freeze by US Was Illegal, Judge Says

Harvard University scored a major legal victory in its battle with the Trump administration after a court ruled that the US illegally froze more than $2 billion in research funding.

www.bloomberg.com

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David Cole @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social · Aug 24

Georgetown Civil Rights Appellate Clinic is hiring! This is a fabulous opportunity to work with one of the best appellate civil rights lawyers today, Brian Wolfman.

perma.cc/CX9E-NSEJ

August 2025 - ACIC fellowship announcement

ACIC fellowship announcment

perma.cc

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Courtney Joslin @courtneygjoslin.bsky.social · Aug 19

So thrilled for you!

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