New College of Florida may soon be the first public university in the country to sign President Donald Trump’s higher education agreement.
The compact offers preferential tax benefits and funding to schools that agree to follow the Trump administration’s policies on free speech, hiring, institutional neutrality and other university topics.
The Trump administration originally invited nine top universities to sign the pledge, and itopened to all universities to sign in mid-October, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Brown University, Dartmouth College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the universities of Virginia, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Southern California all rejected the compact.
Several of the compact’s principles already reflect what New College has done in the last two years, including eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs; gender studies classes; and race-based selection, according to a press release from the university.
New College’s identity has shifted over the last two years since former House Speaker Richard Corcoran became president.
Corcoran said in a statement that New College is committed to the ideals in the contract.
“We have no affirmative action or DEI, and we have been building a campus where open dialogue and the marketplace of ideas are at the forefront of everything we do,” he said in a statement. “We believe a student’s success comes from their character and their merit, not their race, gender, or sexual orientation, and we would be honored to sign the Trump administration’s compact.”
New College spokesperson Jamie Miller said the university wanted to publicly support Trump’s education priorities. The White House did not specifically invite New College to sign the pledge, he said.
“I think it’s important to support and stand with a national leader, the president of the United States,” he said, “when there are so many people who have stood up against these logical things.”
The University of Florida did not respond to emails asking if they plan to sign the compact. University of South Florida spokesperson Ryan Hughes said USF has not signed the compact.
This is a developing story. Check Tampabay.com for updates.
Lucy Marques is a reporter covering education as a member of the Tampa Bay Times Education Hub in partnership with Open Campus. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here.
