Reference News Network, October 4 report: According to the Associated Press on October 2, the White House has asked nine major universities to promote the political priorities of President Trump in exchange for priority access to federal funding.

The report said that a 10-page draft contract was sent on October 1 to some of the most selective public and private universities, including Vanderbilt University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, University of Southern California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Texas, University of Arizona, Brown University, and University of Virginia.

The document titled "Higher Education Academic Excellence Contract" requires universities to accept the government's definition of gender and apply it to campus restrooms, changing rooms, and women's sports teams. It requires universities not to consider race, gender, and broad student demographic data in the admissions process, and to require undergraduate applicants to take the SAT or ACT exam.

According to a letter sent with the document, universities that sign the contract will receive "multiple positive benefits," including "significant and meaningful federal funding."

It is reported that these schools were required to make a decision by November 21. Several universities have stated that they are evaluating the contract.

The report also said that Kevin Eltife, chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas system, said in a statement that the University of Texas was "honored" to be one of the first schools invited to sign the contract and "possibly get priority funding," "we gladly accept the new opportunities before us and look forward to working with the Trump administration."

California Governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom said that if any university in California signed this contract, it would not be eligible for state government funding.

The contract also requires universities to set an upper limit on the proportion of international undergraduate students at 15%, and no more than 5% of students from any single country.

Reuters reported on October 2 that DePaul University has informed its faculty that due to a 30% drop in international enrollment this fall, the university will immediately cut costs. This is the latest measure taken by American universities in response to President Trump's interference in education and immigration policies.

DePaul University President Robert Manuel wrote in a memo to faculty earlier this week that the specific amount of cost-cutting has not been determined, but measures may include freezing hiring, cutting executive pay, and limiting discretionary spending.

Manuel said that the number of international enrollments at this private university in Chicago has decreased by 755 compared to last year. The decline in the number of first-year foreign graduate students has been even faster, dropping nearly 62%.

He attributed the drop in this year's enrollment to students' difficulty in obtaining visas, as well as changes in federal policies that have led students to lose interest in studying in the United States.

DePaul University is one of dozens of American schools that have announced budget cuts, which are being affected by the Trump administration's subversive higher education policies.

These policies include threatening to cut billions of dollars in academic research funding.

Early data collected by Reuters shows that many first-year international graduate students have chosen to study elsewhere.

Student visas have also been a target of Trump's attacks. Some visas have been revoked, and students applying for new visas have faced delays. (Translated by Xu Yanhong)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7557304305096475182/

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