USC rejects Trump education compact

School president says offer to gain priority research funding raises concerns over values.

- BY DANIEL MILLER AND JAWEED KALEEM

USC is one of several universities to reject the compact. Above, Tommy Trojan.

(MEL MELCON Los Angeles Times)

The University of Southern California on Thursday rejected the education compact the Trump administration offered it and eight other schools, saying it would undermine "values of free inquiry and academic excellence.

USC interim President Beong-Soo Kim said in a statement that he had sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education turning down the Trump offer, which would give priority research funding access to universities that agree to follow the president's mostly conservative vision of higher education.

His letter, which USC provided to The Times, was addressed to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and said that the compact "raises a number of issues worthy of further discussion within both higher education and our nation."

But, Kim wrote, the university had concerns about the Trump administration's offer.

"We are concerned that even though the Compact would be voluntary, tying research benefits to it would, over time, undermine the same values of free inquiry and academic excellence that the Compact seeks to promote," Kim wrote. "Other countries whose governments lack America's commitment to freedom and democracy have shown how academic excellence can suffer when shifting external priorities tilt the research playing field away from free, meritocratic competition.”

White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement that universities “funded by American taxpayers should absolutely serve the national interest.”

“As long as they are not begging for federal funding, universities are free to implement any lawful policies they would like,” she said. “However, the notion that universities should benefit from taxpayer money without responsibilities in return is terribly misguided.”