The White House is embarking on a high-stakes experiment with American universities, seeking to reshape elite campuses not merely through coercion but by using federal funds as a lever for ideological compliance. The move signals a strategic shift from threats to incentives, blending persuasion and pressure in a way that has sparked concern among educators and legal experts alike. On Wednesday, a memo titled “A Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” arrived at the offices of nine top-tier institutions, laying out a detailed framework designed to bring schools in line with the Trump administration’s conservative agenda. The document sets expectations across admissions, hiring, and campus policy, making clear that participation could come with financial benefits—and noncomp

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