ACTION: Petition to Reject Trump's Compact

Independent, self-governing universities are essential to our democracy. Since coming to power this year, the Trump administration has attempted to inappropriately and unconstitutionally interfere in the operations of our universities at multiple levels. Most recently, it has offered a compact to university leaders that involves preferential consideration for federal grants, based not on merit but on ideological fealty, to nine institutions across the country. You can read the compact text here. Given the refusal of most of these institutions to the conditions in the compact, the Trump Administration is now offering the "deal" to any university. The compact violates the first amendment by forcing universities to surrender their academic freedom in exchange for federal grant funds. The American public broadly supports the independence of higher education and views the Compact as harmful overreach that should be rejected. We need to let our university leadership know that we want them to defend free speech and academic freedom against these attacks, which will only weaken our standing in science, technology, healthcare, innovation, and the arts and will not secure the institution's financial stability. Sign this petition calling on The Ohio State University's president, provost, and board of trustees chair to reject the Trump compact.

Sign the Petition Now!