MIT Declines Federal Funding Tied to Policy Conditions

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has declined a federal funding proposal from the Trump administration that required adherence to specific policy conditions. The proposal, titled the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," was sent to nine universities and included stipulations such as prohibiting consideration of factors like gender, race, or political views in admissions and scholarships, freezing tuition rates for five years, and adopting strict definitions of gender. In return, signatories would receive preferential access to federal funding and other benefits.

In a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, MIT President Sally Kornbluth stated that while the university's practices already meet or exceed many standards outlined in the compact, certain principles within the proposal conflict with MIT's core values. She emphasized that America's leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence.

The Department of Education did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Other universities that received the proposal, including Vanderbilt University, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University, and the University of Virginia, are currently reviewing the compact. Among them, the University of Texas appeared to respond positively to the proposal.