Gavin Newsom opposes Trump plan for top universities to give free tuition to STEM students

The Trump administration has taken another swipe at DEI, antisemitism, and civil rights violations in American universities by sending letters to nine top schools asking them to pledge to a "compact" that would ensure the continuance of federal funding. The memo was titled the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education."

Those schools that received the letter are University of Arizona, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia.

California's Governor Gavin Newsom really didn't like it. In a tweet, he said "California universities that bend to the will of Donald Trump and sign this insane 'compact' will lose billions in state funding — IMMEDIATELY. California will not bankroll schools that sign away academic freedom."

The governor, apparently, is not on board with the federal government ensuring that American colleges and universities comply with civil rights law, nor with free tuition for STEM students, which is part of the deal.
 

That compact asks schools to freeze tuition for five years, limit enrollment of international students, say outright that men are not women, and ensure that students are not punished for their political beliefs, specifically if those students are conservative. It also insists that students studying hard sciences be given free tuition at schools with massive endowments—as most of those contacted have.

Schools that sign on would get priority in federal funding including fewer restraints on coverage of overhead costs in granting. While UT Austin signed on, the other schools have not yet made a commitment.

President of the American Council on Education Ted Mitchell said he was concerned. "Today it's these things," he said, per the New York Times. "Next week, it may be a whole new set. This is a power play, and it's designed to divide the higher education community."

He said he hopes schools do not sign on. As American universities devolved into antisemitic chaos following Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Mitchell issued strongly-worded statement after strongly-worded statement opposing the violence on campuses.

When Trump got into office, he put a stop to it by clawing back federal funding for schools that allow rampant antisemitism, violence against Jewish students, discrimination in admissions and hiring, and that violate Title IX. Biden was not only on board with these things, but his policies encouraged it.

"We hope all universities ultimately are able to have a conversation with us," said May Mailman, a senior policy strategist at the White House.