Brown University Rejects Trump's Invite To Join Federal Compact

PROVIDENCE, RI — Brown University rejected President Donald Trump's invitation to join the federal Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.

Less than two months prior, "Brown signed a voluntary resolution agreement with the government that advances a number of the high-level principles articulated in the Compact, while maintaining core tenets of academic freedom and self-governance that have sustained the excellence of American higher education across generations," University President Christina H. Paxson said in a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Policy Strategist May Mailman, and Domestic Policy Council Assistant to the President and Director Vincent Haley.

See also: 2 Rhode Island College Nursing Programs Recognized By Money Magazine

"We asserted our commitment to equality of opportunity in admissions and hiring while sustaining a respectful community that is free of harassment and discrimination, safeguarding Brown's ability to cultivate a vibrant intellectual environment in which faculty and students can study and express the widest possible range of views," Paxson said.

See also: 1 Rhode Island College Among Best In Country, U.S. News Says In New Ranking

But by the time she wrote the letter Wednesday, Paxson apparently had second thoughts, saying she was "concerned that the Compact by its nature and by various provisions would restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown’s governance, critically compromising our ability to fulfill our mission."

See also: These Are Rhode Island’s Most Liberal And Most Conservative Colleges

"In return for Brown signing the July agreement, the federal government restored the University’s research funding and permanently closed three pending investigations into shared ancestry discrimination and race discrimination," Paxson said. "But most important, Brown’s existing agreement with the federal government expressly 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."

See also: Here Are The Best Colleges In Rhode Island, According To Niche