California Colleges Caught in Governor Newsom’s Crossfire

As first reported by the Washington Post, with additional reporting from the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has sent an agreement entitled “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” to nine U.S. universities that outlines, in part, commitments to implement merit-based admissions and hiring practices, foster and protect freedom of speech on college campuses, and limit admissions of international students. Universities who do not enter into the agreement risk federal funding. (see below)

“Institutions of higher education are free to develop models and values other than those below, if the institution elects to forego federal benefits,” the agreement states.

The agreement lists the following commitments: ban consideration of race, sex and gender in hiring and admissions processes; freeze tuition for five years; require applicants to take standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT; limit grade inflation; limit international student admissions to 15 percent–with no more than 5 percent of foreign students enrolled at the university from a single country; restrict employees from expressing political views on behalf of the university; ensure and protect a “vibrant marketplace of ideas on campus; transform or abolish departments that “punish, belittle” or “spark violence against conservative ideas;” independently and anonymously poll students and employees on compliance and make the polling results public, with a Department of Justice review to follow.

“Universities that rely on foreign students to fund their institutions risk, among other things, potentially reducing spots available to deserving American students,” the document states.

The administration asks for written comments from the universities by “no later than October 20.”

“After receiving feedback, schools that show clear alignment and a strong readiness to champion this effort will be invited to the White House to finalize language and be initial signatories,” the letter says. “We are aiming to have a signed agreement by no later than November 21, 2025,” CBS news reports.

However, Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t need weeks to consider the agreement. He immediately threatened financial retribution to any and all colleges in California that enter into the compact with the Trump administration. The University of Southern California was the only California university to receive the letter.

IF ANY CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY SIGNS THIS RADICAL AGREEMENT, THEY'LL LOSE BILLIONS IN STATE FUNDING — INCLUDING CAL GRANTS — INSTANTLY.

CALIFORNIA WILL NOT BANKROLL SCHOOLS THAT SELL OUT THEIR STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, RESEARCHERS, AND SURRENDER ACADEMIC FREEDOM. pic.twitter.com/iZhln3rfBM

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) October 2, 2025

Fostering the diversity of ideas and thoughts, protecting conservative students and faculty from punishment, belittling and violence, merit-based admissions and hiring practices, prioritizing American students in the admissions process, transparency, and freezing skyrocketing tuition rates is “RADICAL” and the “SURRENDER OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM,” according to Governor Newsom.

“Another requirement mandates that signatories “deploy their endowments to the public good,” such as by not charging tuition to students “pursuing hard science programs (with exceptions, as desired, for families of substantial means)” for universities with more than $2 million per undergraduate student in endowment assets. Universities would also be required to post more details about graduates’ earnings and refund tuition to those who drop out in their first semester,” reports Inside Higher Ed.

The agreement was sent on Wednesday to the University of Arizona, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, University of Texas, University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University.

The University of Southern California said it is reviewing the agreement.  It is unknown if the Trump administration will invite additional universities into the compact.