Presidents have been guarded in their remarks on the Trump administration’s offer. But professors have expressed grave concerns.

A demand that Vanderbilt University sign onto a “compact” — pledging to comply with new Trump administration higher education directives in exchange for preferential access to federal funding — is drawing pushback from some campus groups.

The academic leader says the proposal "is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone."

The Trump administration is pursuing a fresh approach to reshape U.S. higher education, shifting from threats to financial incentives in order to push its ideological agenda. On Wednesday, the White House sent a

Dubbed the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, the proposal was offered to nine schools nationwide and offers priority for federal funding if they commit to changes aligned with the Trump administration’s agenda.