UT Austin protests Trump’s compact on higher education

Austin, TX – On October 13, over 200 students, faculty, staff and community members at the University of Texas at Austin gathered at the main tower to reject the compact agreement that Trump’s administration sent to nine universities on October 2.

This compact offers preferential federal funding in exchange for a list of demands that the university must uphold, such as cutting DEI programs, limiting academic freedom, putting caps on international student enrollment, and more.

One administration demand states that the university must eliminate departments that “punish conservative ideas.” Translated into reality, this means that departments that study topics that run against the administration’s far-right, anti-intellectual politics, could be placed under risk. This is already the case at UT, where gender studies is being audited, and it has been announced that Latino studies and Black studies, currently two separate departments, will be consolidated (stripped of funding and independence) and women’s studies will be eliminated.

Josefina Bosch, a member of Austin Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), said, “Trump’s proposed ‘Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education’ is a thinly veiled bribe. In exchange for preferential access to funding and federal grants, UT would have to functionally submit to the whims of the administration.”

Activists there made it clear they were going to fight to have the school reject the compact. Bosch said, “Today, protect freedom of speech. Stand up and protest for those who can’t. Don’t wait until it’s too late. UT has to stick together – UT cannot be bought and sold!”

Austin SDS led the rally and was joined by an array of others who spoke up against the compact. UT Graduate Workers Union, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, University Democrats, and Texas Students for DEI sponsored the event, along with the Black Student Alliance in attendance.

Patrick Adäo-Pérez, political action chair of the Black Student Alliance, spoke on the fight to protect ethnic studies stating, “These privileges and resources we once fought for and achieved, and we must fight for them again!”

Chants rang loudly in front of administration offices, including “Do not sign!” “Say it loud, say it clear! We don’t want your compact here!” and “Unite! Confront! We will not be sold to Trump!” Austin SDS has a march planned for October 20, continuing pressure on UT to reject the compact.

#AustinTX #TX #StudentMovement #Trump #SDS