Brown University Joins MIT in Rejecting Trump's College Compact Over Academic Freedom Concerns

Oct 16, 2025 03:46 pm CST

Brown University has declined the White House's Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, becoming the second institution after MIT to reject the proposal. President Christina Paxson cited concerns about academic freedom and institutional autonomy, stating the compact would contradict a previous July agreement that preserved the university's core values while restoring research funding.