Brown University Rejects Federal Funding Compact Over Academic Freedom Concerns

Brown University has declined a proposal from the Trump administration that offered preferential access to federal funding in exchange for implementing specific policy changes. In a letter dated October 15, 2025, addressed to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Brown President Christina Paxson expressed concerns that the compact would "restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown’s governance."

The proposed compact, sent to nine universities on October 1, 2025, outlined requirements such as removing sex and ethnicity considerations from admissions, capping international student enrollment at 15%, and adopting definitions of gender based on biological functions. In return, participating institutions would receive priority for federal grants and invitations to White House events.

Brown's rejection follows a similar decision by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), whose President Sally Kornbluth stated that the compact included principles that "would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution."

Other universities that received the proposal, including Vanderbilt University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Arizona, are currently reviewing the compact. The University of Texas at Austin has expressed a more favorable stance, indicating a willingness to work with the administration on the proposal.

The Trump administration has extended the compact to all U.S. colleges, aiming to reform higher education institutions by aligning them with specific policy objectives. The administration has indicated that universities declining the offer may face increased scrutiny regarding compliance with federal laws.