Vanderbilt in ongoing talks with Trump admin over Higher Ed Compact, no longer under deadline
Originally included in a group of elite schools invited to respond to the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, Vanderbilt confirmed it is still in talks with federal officials.
Vanderbilt University is treading carefully amid the Trump administration’s push for elite colleges to sign on to the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.
The institution has not committed to the draft deal, which promises preferential funding in exchange for meeting a set of policy benchmarks.
The proposed compact would require participating schools to adopt new standards around admissions, women’s sports, free speech, international students, and discipline in return for access to federal funds. Vanderbilt was among the nine universities initially approached and has engaged in feedback sessions but has made clear there it is no longer under a deadline and that it will not rush a decision.
[RELATED: New College ‘ready’ to sign Trump’s Higher Ed Compact]
On campus, the response is sharply divided. Student organizations are polarized, according to WZTV: the Vanderbilt College Republicans favor signing the compact, while the College Democrats call for outright rejection.
Faculty groups have also weighed in, with the Faculty Senate passing a resolution opposing the compact on grounds that it threatens institutional independence.
University leadership states it will continue discussions while preserving core values of academic freedom, institutional neutrality, and merit‑based standards.
[RELATED: Duke students protest Trump Higher Ed compact]
”Vanderbilt has a long tradition of principled, bipartisan dialogue with the federal government to advance higher education and research. As part of that ongoing conversation, we will continue to share our perspective and ensure that the values we live by—academic freedom, institutional neutrality, and open inquiry—are foundational,” a statement from the school states.
”We do not currently have a November 21st deadline, nor a directive to accept or reject the compact. From the outset, our goal has been to shape reform on our own terms, grounded in independence, excellence, and accountability without the need for additional federal oversight.”
Vanderbilt’s outcome could signal how other universities respond to the Trump administration’s model of conditional federal support.
