The University of Arizona has joined at least six other schools rejecting an offer for preferential access to federal funds in exchange for signing a compact to enact conservative policies favored by the Trump administration.
In a statement to the campus community, UA’s president said that while a number of the proposals deserved thoughtful consideration, principles like academic freedom, merit-based research funding and institutional independence must be preserved.
The school did submit what it calls a “Statement of Principles” to the Department of Education, detailing what university officials called its clear standards, transparency and accountability.
Arizona Board of Regents Chair Doug Goodyear released a statement about UA's decision.
"The Arizona Board of Regents has been in regular consultation with the University of Arizona since it received the draft Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, and we support President Garimella's response to it.
“Given that the federal government is the system’s largest single funder, our universities have a responsibility to provide thoughtful feedback.
“The board is committed to protecting the values of Arizona higher education that have made it the best in the world — most importantly academic freedom, institutional independence and merit-based research. And that remains our focus," Goodyear said.
The schools were given a deadline of Monday to provide feedback.
The compact requests that universities adopt commitments aligned with Trump’s political priorities, including transgender restrictions, limits on foreign student enrollment, and eliminating race and sex from admissions decisions.
On Friday, the Trump administration met with the universities still trying to decide whether to sign the agreement.
ASU 'in dialogue' with administration
Though not among the initial nine schools the Trump administration offered the compact to, Arizona State University officials confirmed they, too, have been in dialogue with the White House over "innovative approaches to serve the needs of the country."
“ASU has long been a voice for change in higher education and as President Trump’s team seeks new and innovative approaches to serve the needs of the country, ASU has engaged in dialogue and offered ideas about how to do so," ASU officials said in a statement.
Democratic Congressman Greg Stanton also chimed in.
In a letter to ASU President Michael Crow, Stanton urged him to reject any offer by the Trump administration that promises preferential access to federal grants in exchange for complying with White House demands.
Stanton wrote that the proposed compact “represents an unprecedented intrusion into higher education, replacing academic freedom and institutional judgment with ideological dictates and rigid mandates.”
Stanton also sent UA’s president a similar letter earlier this month when that institution was first approached by the White House.
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