New College of Florida Becomes First to Sign Trump Administration’s Higher Ed Compact

SARASOTA, FL - October 28, 2025 New College of Florida has become the first institution to formally sign the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” a controversial federal initiative that ties preferential research funding to a series of conservative policy mandates.

Once a small, progressive honors college known for academic independence, New College has been at the center of political transformation since a state-led overhaul in 2023 under Gov. Ron DeSantis. The college’s decision to endorse the compact cements its shift toward the model of “ideological neutrality” and “classical education” favored by current leadership.

Under the compact’s terms, participating universities must ban the use of race, gender identity, or political affiliation in admissions and hiring; enforce standardized testing; freeze tuition for five years; and cap international enrollment. In exchange, the institutions would receive priority for certain federal grants and research funding streams.

Supporters, including several New College trustees, hailed the agreement as a “return to academic integrity and merit-based education.” Critics, however, warn that the move could erode academic freedom and set a precedent for federal overreach into university governance.

By becoming the first college to sign, New College now stands as both a test case and a symbol - embodying the broader ideological battle over the future of American higher education.

*Sources: *https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/us/politics/new-college-florida-trump-compact.html