Now USC rejects Trump's funding compact, joining MIT and Brown in defending academic freedom and autonomy
USC has officially rejected US President Donald Trump's proposed funding compact, joining MIT and Brown University in declining the offer over concerns about academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The compact tied federal research funding to compliance with conservative-aligned policies, including restrictions on admissions, gender definitions, and campus structures. USC interim President Beong-Soo Kim cited the risk to free inquiry, stating the university could not support measures that undermine academic excellence and governance, as reported by the LA Times.
USC has officially rejected US President Donald Trump's proposed funding compact, joining MIT and Brown University in declining the offer over concerns about academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The compact tied federal research funding to compliance with conservative-aligned policies, including restrictions on admissions, gender definitions, and campus structures. USC interim President Beong-Soo Kim cited the risk to free inquiry, stating the university could not support measures that undermine academic excellence and governance, as reported by the LA Times.
