In an emergency session, the Vanderbilt Faculty Senate has formally condemned a proposed compact from the Trump administration, citing concerns over legality, academic freedom, and institutional independence.The resolution, passed by a 30-11 vote with one abstention, opposes the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which offers preferential access to federal funding in exchange for university compliance with a set of new directives. The resolution calls on Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and the Board of Trust to reject the compact entirely, as reported by the Tennessee Lookout.Faculty senate opposes restrictions on speech and campus autonomyThe compact, initially reported by The Wall Street Journal, has been criticised for including stipulations that the Faculty Senate deemed contrary to constitutional rights and academic values. According to the resolution, the compact “contains provisions antithetical to the missions and traditions of the university” and “endanger(s) the independence and integrity of the university,” as quoted by the Tennessee Lookout.Among the requirements laid out in the 10-page document are restrictions on political speech by faculty and staff regarding off-campus events, a cap on foreign student enrolment, and an agreement to use “lawful force if necessary” to stop protests that hinder access to campus facilities.The Faculty Senate resolution states that signing the compact would likely violate both state and federal laws, infringing on the constitutional rights of university community members, as reported by the Tennessee Lookout.Compact circulated to multiple elite universitiesVanderbilt is one of nine institutions that received the compact proposal from the Trump administration. Other recipients include Brown University, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Arizona, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Virginia.While the administration has not made the full document public, summaries reviewed by faculty members suggest the compact ties federal research funding and grants to compliance with the outlined ideological directives.University administration responds to compactFollowing the Senate vote, a Vanderbilt University spokesperson directed attention to a public statement shared on the university’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. The post stated, “We look forward to carefully reviewing the compact and providing meaningful feedback to the administration,” as noted by the Tennessee Lookout.The Faculty Senate, an elected body that includes deans and faculty representatives, holds advisory authority over academic policies. Their opposition marks a significant institutional stance against the federal proposal, reinforcing growing concern across multiple campuses regarding the compact’s implications.
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