MIT President Declines Support for White House Compact | JQJO

MIT President Sally Kornbluth told the White House she "cannot support" a proposed compact that would grant favorable access to federal funding if MIT and eight peers adopt President Donald Trump's political agenda. She warned it would curb free speech, undermine university independence, and depart from merit-based research funding, though MIT shares some stated values. The plan seeks tuition freezes, mandatory SAT/ACT, admissions stripped of race and sex, a binary gender policy, and steps to promote conservative viewpoints. Responses vary: UT leaders welcomed the invitation, while critics from campuses to city halls—and officials in Virginia and California—voiced opposition.