UT Austin is one of nine universities the Trump administration has asked to sign an agreement in order to receive an advantage in accessing federal funds.
The letters from the White House came with a 10-point contract titled "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The White House says the terms are intended to improve university standards and outcomes.
The letter says institutions that sign the compact will have better access to funding, including "substantial and meaningful federal grants." UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife said in a statement that university leaders are "honored" to be selected for potential funding advantages.
Eltife said that the UT System has worked closely with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows to implement changes in recent years.
"We enthusiastically look forward to engaging with university officials and reviewing the compact immediately," Eltife said.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the document focuses largely on the campus political climate. It asks universities to eliminate departments that "spark violence against conservative ideas." It also calls for prohibiting staff from expressing political views on behalf of the university they work for.
The compact also asks universities to ban the consideration of race and gender in hiring and admissions, freeze tuition for five years and cap international undergraduate enrollment at 15%.
The UT System has been complying with an anti-DEI state law since 2024, which led to the elimination of multiple staff positions.
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