Trump’s compact ‘nationalising universities’ as deadline looms

Doctor Faustus selling his soul to the Devil. To illustrate that the Trump administration’s Compact for Academic Excellence is trying to extort nine universities to submit to its control.

Hate the compact? Start building a better case for academic freedom

The Trump administration is trying to extort universities to submit to its control. To defend the university against such overreach is to affirm a broad constitutional tradition that limits state power over institutions devoted to truth and justice, writes Adam Sitze

By Adam Sitze

16 October

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By Patrick Jack

4 October

Academic freedom defence not helping in ‘war on tenure’

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By Patrick Jack

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A man holds a sign that says "For Charlie" as people protest outside the "American Comeback Tour" event at Northrop Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus on 22 September, 2025. The event was held after the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

First Amendment ‘abandoned’ as scholars fired over Kirk comments

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Reader's comments (1)

#1 Submitted by graff.... on October 20, 2025 - 12:10am

This is unknowledgeable and fallacious. Trump's ill-named compact, which is being roundly rejected, bears no relationship to "nationalizing." buy a dictionary, everyone, anyone......

Trump’s compact ‘nationalising universities’ as deadline looms

Civil liberties champion Nadine Strossen says US universities must unite to fight president’s ‘blatantly illegal’ plan to destroy institutional autonomy

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Related articles

Hate the compact? Start building a better case for academic freedom

Compact shows ‘empowered’ Trump plans to ‘divide and conquer’

Academic freedom defence not helping in ‘war on tenure’

First Amendment ‘abandoned’ as scholars fired over Kirk comments

Reader's comments (1)

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Trump’s compact ‘nationalising universities’ as deadline looms

Civil liberties champion Nadine Strossen says US universities must unite to fight president’s ‘blatantly illegal’ plan to destroy institutional autonomy

Register to continue

Subscribe

Related articles

Hate the compact? Start building a better case for academic freedom

Compact shows ‘empowered’ Trump plans to ‘divide and conquer’

Academic freedom defence not helping in ‘war on tenure’

First Amendment ‘abandoned’ as scholars fired over Kirk comments

Reader's comments (1)

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