California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a bone-chilling ultimatum: any university—public or private—that endorses President Donald Trump’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” will lose state funding. This blatant effort to stifle conservative voices in academia is unacceptable.
Newsom claims the compact enforces “radical conservative ideological restrictions.” In reality, the document champions academic freedom and safeguards conservative viewpoints from censorship. This initiative arises from of universities’ alarming neglect in addressing antisemitism on campuses.
The compact outlines ten non-negotiable principles that promote integrity and fairness in higher education:
1. No race or gender preferences in admissions.
2. A commitment to a broad “marketplace of ideas” that protects free speech.
3. Fair hiring practices for faculty and staff.
4. Political neutrality on issues not directly impacting the institutions.
5. Upholding rigorous grading standards to combat grade inflation.
6. Equal treatment for students, recognizing two biological sexes and safeguarding women’s sports.
7. Financial prudence to prevent student debt burdens and promote robust academic programs.
8. Stringent scrutiny of foreign donations and student admissions to exclude harmful ideologies.
9. Preference for American students and allowances for religious institutions to employ sex-based preferences.
10. Compliance monitored by an external body reporting to the Department of Justice.
Rather than engage with these principles, Newsom only criticized the compact as “insane,” failing to specify which provisions provoke his ire.
In a sharp rebuke, the White House has suggested Newsom focus on fixing the chaos he has wrought in California, including policies that allow biological males to compete in women’s sports. Newsom’s opposition to this compact signifies his disregard for efforts aimed at capping tuition hikes and safeguarding free speech.
The compact has been shared with institutions such as the University of Southern California, part of a nationwide outreach to ten universities—potentially including those previously scrutinized for antisemitism by a Trump administration task force.
The stakes are high, and it’s time for universities to stand firm for academic excellence and freedom. Conformity to political correctness at the expense of truth and fairness is a road to ruin, and we must not allow it to continue.
