Washington D.C. – The Trump Management’s effort to impose conditions on federal funding for universities faced a significant setback Wednesday as Brown University rejected a White House proposal demanding limitations on academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The rejection follows a similar, though less definitive, stance from Harvard University, which has been under pressure from the administration as last spring.
The White House proposal,due to other universities by Monday,seeks to restrict foreign student enrollment and possibly dismantle campus units perceived as opposed to conservative viewpoints. It also asserts that “academic freedom is not absolute.” The conditions largely undermine academic freedom and autonomy, with the administration offering universities the option to forgo federal benefits if they choose not to comply.
Brown University Chancellor Christina H. Paxson stated, “I am concerned that the pact, by its nature and by various provisions, restricts academic freedom and undermines the autonomy of Brown’s governance, seriously compromising our ability to fulfill our mission.”
The move comes after President Trump prematurely announced an agreement with Harvard weeks ago,a claim the university has not confirmed. Brown’s decision is notably impactful as the university had previously reached a deal with the Trump Administration to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds previously withheld as leverage in an investigation.
Critics, including Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of university Professors, have condemned the proposals, describing the pact as ”an oath of allegiance to Trump.” The administration’s actions are widely seen as part of a broader offensive against perceived antisemitism on college campuses,and are reportedly influenced by libertarian billionaire Marc Rowan.
President Trump has publicly asserted that “much of higher education has lost its way and is now corrupting our youth and our society with ideologies woke, socialist and anti-american,” inviting institutions to sign the agreement to usher in “a golden age of academic excellence.”
