University of Arizona rejects Trump education proposal

The University of Arizona will reject a higher education plan proposed by the Trump administration, which offers funding preferences in exchange for aligning with the administration’s political priorities.

University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella made the announcement in a statement.

“Some of the government’s proposals deserve thoughtful consideration,” Garimella said, “but principles like academic freedom, merit-based research funding, and institutional independence are foundational and must be preserved.

“As a result, the university has not agreed to the terms outlined in the draft proposal, but instead submitted a Statement of Principles to the Department of Education,” he added.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education proposed the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine universities across the country.

The proposal would require participating institutions to revise their grading systems, international student enrollment policies, and other academic practices in exchange for preferential access to federal grants and benefits.

The University of Arizona had joined Brown University, Dartmouth College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, and the University of Virginia in declining the proposal.

Meanwhile, the University of Texas at Austin and Vanderbilt University had yet to announce their decisions.