In early October, the Trump administration sent letters to nine universities urging them to pledge support for key administrative priorities in exchange for access to benefits like federal funding and visa approvals, outlined in a document called “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.”
As we watch unprecedented attacks on the autonomy and independence of American higher education, it’s tempting to think this is something new…
IOWA CITY — With a growing chorus of constituents urging Iowa’s Board of Regents to either sign or reject the Trump administration’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” a board spokesman confirmed, “We are reviewing the compact.”
It was not a given that the proffered Trump “compact” for colleges would be dead on arrival. When the administration offered its “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine universities earlier this month, it was the latest volley in a long campaign to bring higher education to heel.
Iowa lawmakers are urging the Iowa Board of Regents to sign on to a new educational compact that would require universities to freeze tuition, make changes to admission processes for international students and poll campus communities annually about their compliance with the compact.
The sector has overwhelmingly panned Trump’s plan to give preferential treatment to universities that commit to his policies. So have some conservative leaders.
WASHINGTON, DC (October 3, 2025)—Governing boards must act as fiduciaries for their institutions, not extensions of political parties or federal agencies.
This statement was approved on November 10, 2023, by the Board of Directors of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. The following principles are intended to guide boards in the governance of colleges, universities, systems, and related foundations; inform them of their roles and responsibilities; and clarify their relationships with presidents, administration, faculty, and others involved in the governance process.
Chat with AGB Board Bot