Brown Becomes Second School To Reject Trump’s Funding Deal
Key Takeaways
- Brown University refused a funding offer from the Trump administration.
- The offer was conditional on making widespread changes to Brown's policies.
- President Christina H. Paxson cited restrictions on academic freedom and governance autonomy as reasons for refusal.
- Brown's decision mirrors that of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which rejected the deal last week.
- The university formally declined the compact on Wednesday afternoon.
Brown University has publicly refused an offer from the Trump administration that proposed special funding considerations contingent upon widespread changes to the university's policies. The decision was formalized by President Christina H. Paxson in a letter sent to federal officials on Wednesday afternoon. Paxson explicitly stated that the various provisions within the proposed compact would severely restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown’s governance structure. She emphasized that accepting the deal would critically compromise the institution's fundamental ability to carry out its educational and research mission. Brown is the latest prominent institution to turn down this specific deal, following the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which made a similar refusal last week. The situation remains a developing story.
