Members of the Penn and broader Philadelphia community expressed support for the University’s rejection of the White House’s preferential federal funding compact on Thursday.
According to an Oct. 16 email from Penn President Larry Jameson, the University rejected the compact after considering input from Penn faculty, alumni, trustees, students, and staff. Jameson’s announcement was met with praise from several notable University stakeholders, who previously raised concerns over the impact the document’s provisions would have on academic freedom and shared governance.
“Penn’s administration has declined to sign the ‘Compact’ because it is at odds with the University’s mission and values,” Penn’s Faculty Senate Tri-Chairs wrote to The Daily Pennsylvanian. “This sentiment echoes the view of most members of the University of Pennsylvania’s faculty who, in a Resolution issued yesterday by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, strongly urged President Jameson to say ‘no’ to the Compact.”
Penn’s decision followed a Wednesday meeting of the Faculty Senate's Executive Committee, where the body overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging the University to reject the federal government’s proposal.
Both Penn’s decision and the Faculty Senate resolution were praised by former University Board of Trustees Chair Scott Bok.
“I congratulate Penn’s leadership for providing a response to the Compact that is consistent with the University’s historic values, as well as to the faculty senate for its helpful commentary and recommendation,” Bok wrote to the DP.
The Executive Committee of Penn’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors similarly expressed that they are “proud to hear” that the University “declined to sign” the document in a statement to the DP. AAUP-Penn circulated a petition shortly following the compact's Oct. 1 release — which was signed by over 2,000 members of the Penn community — calling on the University to reject the proposal.
“As has been made clear by the response to our petition, the Penn community is strongly united against threats to our academic freedom and shared governance,” AAUP-Penn wrote. “The success of our resistance is evidence that when we stand together and fight, we have the power to determine the future of our university.”
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In an email to the University community on Thursday, Penn Undergraduate Assembly President and Wharton junior Nia Matthews wrote that the “UA remains committed to working with students and administrators alike to advance transparency, collaboration, and lasting progress.”
The message from Matthews followed a joint statement published by the UA — alongside student government groups from six other universities, which were approached with the federal government’s proposed higher education compact — earlier this month, criticizing the document’s stipulations.
Matthews explained that she and UA Vice President and College junior Musab Chummun privately met with Jameson and Penn’s Graduate and Professional Student Assembly on Oct. 8 to “candidly express the student perspective on the Compact.”
“We recognize the challenges posed by shifts in federal funding, and will continue to ensure that students remain engaged and represented in the discussions shaping Penn’s response and future relationship with the White House,” the Oct. 16 email read.
In a statement to the DP on Thursday, a White House spokesperson signaled that Penn — and other universities that reject the compact — may not continue to receive federal funding.
“The Compact for Academic Excellence embraces universities that reform their institutions to elevate common sense once again, ushering a new era of American innovation,” the White House statement read. “Any higher education institution unwilling to assume accountability and confront these overdue and necessary reforms will find itself without future government and taxpayers support.”
A Penn spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on whether the University would continue to negotiate with the White House or consider signing a later draft of the document.
Several local and state elected officials — who previously characterized the compact as “authoritarian” — also commended Penn’s decision.
In a statement to the DP on Thursday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote that Penn “made the right decision to maintain its full academic independence and integrity,” and criticized the Trump administration’s “attempts to dictate” private universities and “censor ideas with which they disagree.”
Shapiro — who holds a nonvoting seat on the Board of Trustees as governor — added that he had “engaged closely with university leaders” as they came to a decision.
“The Trump Administration’s dangerous demands would limit freedom of speech, the freedom to learn, and the freedom to engage in constructive debate and dialogue on campuses across the country,” his Oct. 16 message read.
Shapiro continued, emphasizing that he is in “full support” of the move and that Penn “needs only to be measured by its long legacy of excellence, and its continued commitment to supporting innovation and economic growth in Pennsylvania.”
Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-Philadelphia) also endorsed Penn’s decision, thanking the University for “rejecting Trump’s racist compact and standing up for inclusion and academic freedom” in a statement to the DP.
Pennsylvania state Rep. Rick Krajewski (D-Philadelphia) — who co-sponsored legislation to pull state funding if the University had signed the compact — likewise applauded the University’s decision.
“This is a huge victory for our overwhelming movement of leaders, on and off campus, that opposed this disastrous deal,” read his Oct. 16 statement. “We urge leaders at Penn and Universities across the country to continue to push back against this authoritarian turn. The work continues.”
