The Key with Inside Higher Ed Ep. 181: TRIO Cuts, Compact Responses and Looking for Signs of Life at ED
Nov 6, 2025
Katherine Knott, news editor at Inside Higher Ed, dives into recent higher education policies with Sara Custer. They discuss the controversial higher ed compact, revealing universities’ mixed reactions—some accept, some dodge. The conversation also covers alarming TRIO funding cuts affecting approximately 43,000 students and UVA's complicated fallout leading to their president's resignation. Finally, they explore how the Department of Education is functioning amid layoffs and the repercussions of the government shutdown on essential higher ed services.
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Three Clear Compact Response Categories
- University responses to the Compact fall into three buckets: rejected, expressed interest, and providing feedback.
- Many presidents publicly oppose the Compact while avoiding a formal rejection until they receive an individualized ask.
Merit Argument Drives Many No's
- Campus leaders emphasize 'merit' to push back on the Compact's research-funding carveouts.
- Presidents argue research funding should be awarded on quality, not on whether an institution signs the Compact.
Smaller Colleges Publicly Signal Interest
- New College of Florida and Valley Forge publicly said they'd sign if asked, and Grand Canyon expressed interest.
- These institutions are not research-intensive, so the Compact's research 'carrot' likely isn't their primary motivation.