It started with a letter. Then a march. Then a record-breaking petition that basically set the campus on fire—metaphorically, of course.
If you’ve been following the news lately, you know things are getting pretty tense in the Ivy League. In October 2025, the Trump administration dropped a bombshell: the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. They sent it to nine elite schools, including Dartmouth. The deal was simple: follow our new rules, and we’ll give you priority access to massive federal research grants.
Most people call it a "compact." At Dartmouth, faculty called it a bribe. Or a "Faustian bargain." Honestly, the mood in Hanover was less "academic debate" and more "existential crisis."
What the Heck is the Trump Education Compact?
Before we get into why Dartmouth faculty oppose Trump education compact so fiercely, we should probably look at what was actually in the document. It wasn't just a few suggestions. It was a 10-point plan that would have fundamentally rewired how the college works.
The administration framed it as "restoring excellence." They wanted to fix what they called "woke, socialist ideology" on campuses. To get that sweet federal funding, Dartmouth would have had to agree to:
- A five-year tuition freeze.
- Capping international undergraduate enrollment at 15%.
- Banning the consideration of race, sex, or "proxies" for those factors in admissions and hiring.
- Defining sex and gender strictly by "reproductive function."
- Getting rid of departments or offices that "punish or belittle" conservative ideas.
Basically, it was a massive shift toward federal control. For a school whose motto is Vox clamantis in deserto—a voice crying in the wilderness—the idea of taking orders from the White House didn't sit well.
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The Faculty Revolt: Why They’re Terrified
It didn’t take long for the pushback to start. Within days of the compact landing on President Sian Leah Beilock’s desk, the faculty went into overdrive.
History professor Bethany Moreton and English professor Patricia Stuelke were right at the center of it. They didn't just write a polite "no thank you" note. They helped organize a petition that gathered over 569 signatures from faculty members and graduate students. That’s more than half the faculty. In Dartmouth terms, that’s huge. It actually broke the school record for the most signatures on any petition in the last ten years.
Why were they so mad? It wasn't just about the money.
Academic Freedom is the Big One
The main argument you’ll hear is about "academic freedom." Biology professor Caitlin Pries described the terms as "very limiting and very scary." The idea is that if the government decides what you can teach or who you can hire, the university stops being a place of discovery and starts being a mouthpiece for the state.
The Identity Issue
Then there’s the gender stuff. Professor Molly Geidel, who teaches Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS), was vocal about how the compact’s definition of sex would "terrorize" trans people and erase the identities of many students and scholars. She argued that the compact wasn't just about "neutrality"—it was an attack on a specific group of people.
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Science vs. Politics
Even the scientists jumped in. Brad Duchaine, a professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, pointed out that the compact violates the very principles of scientific research. Science is supposed to be about merit and impartiality. If you start cutting political deals for funding, you lose your credibility. It's not governance; he called it "coercion."
President Beilock’s High-Stakes Choice
For a while, everyone was holding their breath. Would Beilock sign it? Dartmouth has been under a lot of pressure lately, especially regarding campus protests and federal funding cuts. Some people thought she might take the deal just to keep the lights on and the labs running.
But on October 18, 2025, she made the call. She rejected it.
She wrote to the campus saying she didn't believe a compact—with any administration—was the right way to achieve excellence. She argued it would compromise Dartmouth’s ability to govern itself. Interestingly, she was the last Ivy League president of the group to say no. MIT, Brown, and Penn had already bailed.
The Other Side of the Argument
To be fair, not everyone thinks the faculty are heroes here. Critics, like those at Campus Reform, argue that universities are being hypocritical. They want billions in taxpayer money but don't want any accountability.
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Some students were also mixed. While many cheered the rejection, others were frustrated by the lack of transparency. At a Student Government meeting, some felt the administration’s initial response was "too vague." There’s a real tension between those who want the school to be a "neutral" space and those who want it to be a fortress for progressive values.
What Happens Next?
So, the compact is dead at Dartmouth. For now. But the fallout is just beginning.
The Trump administration has since opened the offer to all U.S. colleges. While the "Big Nine" mostly said no (except maybe UT Austin and Vanderbilt, who were a bit more hesitant), smaller schools might find the money too good to pass up.
At Dartmouth, the focus has shifted to protecting the budget. If the federal government decides to play hardball and pull existing research grants because the school wouldn't sign the "loyalty pledge," the college is going to have some very tough financial choices to make.
If you're following this, here are the things to keep an eye on:
- Federal Funding Watch: Monitor the upcoming federal budget cycles. If Dartmouth’s research grants suddenly start drying up, we’ll know the "priority access" promise was actually a threat.
- The "Neutrality" Debate: Look for how the Dartmouth administration handles "institutional neutrality" going forward. Beilock has mentioned wanting to provide space for diverse viewpoints without the college becoming a "political organization."
- Faculty Governance: Watch for more petitions. This event showed that the Dartmouth faculty is incredibly organized and willing to bypass the administration if they feel the school's mission is at stake.
The "wilderness" just got a lot more crowded, and the voices aren't quieting down anytime soon.
Actionable Insight: If you are a student or alum concerned about how this affects your degree's value or the school's research standing, the best move is to engage with the Dartmouth AAUP (American Association of University Professors) or the Office of the President to see their latest updates on federal partnership alternatives that don't involve the compact.