The University of Virginia and Cornell deals with Trump set a dangerous precedent | Serena Mayeri and Amanda Shanor

The bespoke agreements are full of peril for the universities, allowing the federal government to quietly exert control

In October, President Trump proposed a compact for higher education, a federal takeover of state and private institutions thinly disguised as an offer of preferential funding consideration. Most of the initially targeted universities rightfully have rejected Trump's unlawful and unconstitutional compact, but some schools, including the University of Virginia and Cornell, have since signed separate agreements with the federal government. Initial media coverage largely portrayed the deals as compromises that allowed the universities to preserve institutional autonomy and resolve outstanding federal investigations. But subsequent revelations about the coercive ouster of UVA's former president underscore how, in fact, deals" like these represent a dangerous new front in the Trump administration's war on higher education.

UVA's settlement, announced on 22 October, appeared to focus narrowly on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, to safeguard academic freedom, and to avoid external monitoring or monetary penalties. Cornell paid $60m and made various promises related to admissions, DEI, antisemitism, and foreign financial ties in exchange for a restoration of federal funding. UVA's leaders hailed a constructive outcome" that uphold[s] the university's principles and independence", while Cornell's declared that federal funding would be restored without sacrificing academic freedom. But the reality is very different.

Serena Mayeri and Amanda Shanor teach law at the University of Pennsylvania