(MENAFN) The ongoing debate in the United States over academic independence and university self-governance has intensified after another prominent institution refused a White House proposal that tied increased federal funding to specific conditions.

According to reports, Dartmouth College became the latest to turn down the administration’s offer on Saturday, joining a group of major universities—including those in Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and California—that had already rejected the deal.

In a public statement, Dartmouth’s president emphasized the importance of institutional autonomy and the need to make decisions guided by the university’s own principles and goals. "I do not believe that a compact—with any administration—is the right approach to achieve academic excellence, as it would compromise our academic freedom, our ability to govern ourselves, and the principle that federal research funds should be awarded to the best, most promising ideas," Beilock noted.

The proposal, sent to nine universities, aimed to create new federal benchmarks for both academic quality and student conduct, according to officials. It also promised participating institutions priority access to research grants and federal educational programs.

Known as the “Compact for Academic Excellence,” the initiative forms part of a broader national education policy promoted by the current administration. Reports indicate that universities agreeing to the terms would have to return federal funds if they violated the compact’s conditions. Meanwhile, several leading schools—among them two Ivy League institutions—are reportedly contesting federal funding freezes connected to related agreements.

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