Why would a university fear a promise to uphold freedom of speech, diversity of views, and academic excellence? The answer tells us everything.
On October 1, 2025, President Donald Trump and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon introduced the Compact for Academic Excellence, a proposal that invites universities to commit to core principles in exchange for eligibility for federal research funding. The compact outlines expectations for institutions to protect free expression, promote intellectual diversity, and prioritize academic excellence over ideological activism.
The pact has the full support of the Trump administration, including McMahon, who has expressed strong support for restoring academic standards and institutional accountability.
President Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon during an executive order signing ceremony at the White House on July 31, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The idea is simple. When colleges and universities receive taxpayer dollars, they must be accountable to the public values that support those funds.
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It didn’t take long for the backlash to begin. Many elite institutions quickly denounced the pact. Some rejected it outright. Others provided carefully worded responses designed to protect their reputations while avoiding meaningful change.
Their response reveals something deeper than disagreement. It reveals fear. Not fear of censorship or government interference, but fear of being held responsible for what higher education has become.
As a university president, I understand the importance of academic freedom. I also understand the responsibility that comes with public trust and public investment. The pact does not impose a national curriculum or interfere with legitimate science. What it does is affirm a principle that should never have been controversial: that institutions receiving federal dollars must reflect the fundamental values of academic freedom, open inquiry, and the pursuit of truth.
These values were once believed. Today they must be defended.
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In recent years, too many colleges and universities have strayed from their purpose. Instead of molding students into critical thinkers, they train them to repeat slogans. Instead of exposing students to a wide range of perspectives, they limit the conversation to what is considered politically acceptable. And instead of modeling intellectual courage and humility, they reinforce ideological conformity.
I have attended the meetings. I’ve seen the pressure. I’ve seen too many institutions collapse. The result is not just academic failure. It’s a moral failure. A university that suppresses dissent is not only intellectually weak, but also ethically compromised. Our students deserve better, and so does our country.
The compact calls settings back to their original mission. It challenges colleges to create an environment where disagreement is not feared but welcomed. It fosters a culture where ideas are tested, beliefs are honed, and students are empowered through honest engagement.
Critics have labeled the compact authoritarian. That accusation is not only false, but deeply ironic. True authoritarianism exists within institutions that silence dissent and punish those with outdated views. The pact does not pose a threat to education. It protects education from those who have tried to turn it into a tool for activism and ideological control.
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From my point of view, the treaty confirms what many of us in education already know. Students thrive when they have the freedom to ask tough questions, challenge assumptions, and form beliefs that are rooted in truth rather than trends. They do not need to be protected from opposing views. They must be trained to lead with courage, clarity and character in a diverse and complex world.
Higher education is at a crossroads. The audience is watching. Donors, trustees and parents are starting to ask tougher questions. They want to know what education their students are receiving and whether the institutions they support still reflect the purpose for which they were founded.
The pact is not a political stunt. It is a clear statement of values and a long-awaited invitation to reform.
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Those of us in leadership have a choice. We can protect our reputation and resist reform, or we can welcome this moment as a turning point. This is an opportunity to rebuild trust, realign with our mission, and ensure the next generation is better prepared than the last.
President Trump’s Compact for Academic Excellence is a bold and necessary step in that direction. I support it because I believe in the future of American higher education and because I know it will take vision and courage to get us there.
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