Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Says The University Was Only Asked To Provide “Feedback” On Trump Compact

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

In an update sent this week, Vanderbilt’s Chancellor, Daniel Diermeier, said that the university was only asked to provide “feedback” on the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Education.”

Vanderbilt was one of nine universities selected by President Donald Trump to receive “substantial and meaningful federal grants” upon signing a compact. 

When asked about the letter, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said only that Vanderbilt was reviewing the compact.

In the letter addressed to university leaders, the compact requires that universities ensure that their campuses are a “vibrant marketplace of ideas” in order to be given priority for grant money.

In addition, the compact would prohibit employees from expressing political views on behalf of their university, unless the school is itself affected. In hopes of creating an environment in which conservatives are welcomed, rather than shunned, the compact also asks that institutions of higher education get rid of departments that “purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas.”

As part of the agreement, universities would be asked to hire independent auditors who would be responsible for anonymous polling among students and staff. This effort would be part of evaluating how well the university is aligning with the goals of the compact. The findings would be reviewed by the Justice Department and made public.

Colleges would also have to ban the practice of considering race or sex in hiring decisions or student admissions, allow no more than 15 percent of students enrolled to be international undergraduates, and freeze tuition for five years, among other requirements.

Along with Vanderbilt, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Arizona, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Virginia were the first to receive the invitation. Seven institutions have so far rejected the compact.

According to May Mailman, who has been in charge of efforts by the White House to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses, these particular universities were chosen either because they have a president who is a “reformer” or the school has a board that has indicated their commitment to high-quality education.

Diermeier wrote to the Vanderbilt community to reaffirm the university’s policy of “institutional neutrality” which he said encourages the institution to share “our point of view” with the current administration.

Students on campus are split along party lines with regard to the compact with Republicans applauding Diermeier’s statement, and Democrats opposed.

“Over the last two weeks, many of you – students and faculty, family members and alumni – shared your thoughts about the compact. Your input continues to be invaluable, and I am grateful to be part of such an engaged and passionate university community,” wrote Diermeier. “We look forward to continuing the conversation – on our campus and with leaders in government and higher education – as we work toward our shared goal of restoring public trust in higher education and ensuring that America’s universities remain the best in the world.”

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.