In a switch, Trump White House seeks to reward colleges for abiding by its ideological terms

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By James Oliphant and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -After attempting to bludgeon U.S. colleges and universities into complying with its ideological mandates, the Trump administration is trying a new tactic: using financial incentives to encourage schools to comply.

Critics concerned about academic freedom say the move shows President Donald Trump’s administration remains intent on its campaign to attain unusually broad control over the country’s top institutions of higher learning. 

The White House on Wednesday sent a memo titled “A Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine elite U.S. universities, detailing a series of policies schools can follow to receive preferential treatment in receiving federal funds. Those policies include capping international undergrad enrollment at 15%, banning the use of race or sex in hiring and admissions and defining genders based on biology.

The 10-point memo also proposed that the Classic Learning Test, embraced by some conservatives, be among the entrance exams considered alongside the SAT and ACT. And it called for “transforming or abolishing institutional units that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas.”

Since Trump took office in January, his White House has targeted what it deems liberal-leaning institutions in education, law, media, politics and municipal government. 

The administration has tried to rein in colleges and universities over a range of issues such as pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel’s war in Gaza, transgender policies, climate initiatives and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. But the administration’s threats to cut off federal funding to schools such as Harvard University and the University of California, Los Angeles for allegedly favoring “radical left” policies have run into legal roadblocks.

Institutions that “develop models and values” other than those outlined in the memo could “forgo federal benefits,” the memo reads, while others could be rewarded for their participation.

“This seems to be [the administration] moving to a carrot approach, but embedded in the carrot is the stick,” said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors, an advocacy group that has been fighting the White House’s efforts. 

Wolfson’s group joined with the American Federation of Teachers on Thursday in releasing a statement that called on the nine schools to reject the White House’s terms, which they compared to a “loyalty oath.”

Tyler Coward, lead counsel for government affairs for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, was concerned  that “a government that can reward colleges and universities for speech it favors today can punish them for speech it dislikes tomorrow.” 

SCHOOLS ON THE SPOT 

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the contents of the memo. An official confirmed that letters were sent on Wednesday to solicit agreement and feedback from Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University and the University of Virginia.

The universities of Southern California and Virginia told Reuters that university officials are still reviewing the White House’s memo. The University of Texas said it was “enthusiastically” looking forward to working with the administration on its requirements. 

Schools that agree to the terms of the memo will be required to hire an independent auditor to evaluate the university’s performance. The results would be reviewed by the Trump Justice Department.

(Reporting by James Oliphant and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Donna Bryson and Matthew Lewis)