Overview

• The ten-page Agreement for Academic Excellence was sent to nine institutions, including MIT, UT Austin, USC, Dartmouth, Brown and the University of Pennsylvania.
• Terms reported by U.S. outlets include a 15% cap on international students, a ban on considering race or gender in hiring and admissions, strict sex definitions for facilities and sports, a five-year tuition freeze for U.S. students, and limits on employees speaking politically for their institution.
• The plan seeks the elimination of departments accused of punishing conservative ideas, with compliance checked by an annual student–faculty survey reviewed by the Justice Department and potential clawbacks for violations.
• UT Austin’s governing board confirmed receipt and welcomed its inclusion, while California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the offer and warned state funding could be withheld from institutions that sign.
• The initiative follows earlier grant freezes that a federal judge ruled unlawful, as some universities negotiated concessions to restore funding, and a White House adviser said the program could later expand beyond the initial nine.