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Topline The University of Pennsylvania became the third high-profile university to turn down the Trump administration’s “Compact For Academic Excellence in Higher Education”—a deal that offers special funding advantages for schools that make policy changes aligned with President Donald Trump’s education agenda. Penn turned down the compact Thursday. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Key Facts Penn president J. Larry Jameson said in a brief letter Thursday the university declined to sign the compact. Jameson said Penn “provided focused feedback highlighting areas of existing alignment as well as substantive concerns.” Penn’s rejection of the compact comes just one day after Brown University president Christina H. Paxson declined the deal in a letter to federal officials, saying in a statement its “various provisions would restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown’s governance, critically compromising our ability to fulfill our mission.” Paxson noted Brown’s recent $50 million settlement with the Trump administration to unfreeze federal funds and squash discrimination allegations against it, saying the terms of the settlement advance “a number of the high-level principles articulated in the Compact.” Paxson also said the settlement also affirms “the government’s lack of authority to dictate our curriculum or the content of academic speech—a principle that is not reflected in the Compact.” Paxson said a cover letter describing the compact floats the idea of funding university research on the Trump administration’s own criteria instead of “the soundness and likely impact of research.” Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. What Schools Were Initially Offered The Compact? In addition to Penn, Brown and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, all of which have rejected…

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Filed under: News - @ October 16, 2025 10:28 pm