University of Arizona declines White House funding deal

(CNN, KYMA) - The battle for academic freedom and institutional sovereignty in higher education continues to play out.

Another university, this time, the University of Arizona (U of A), declined a White House offer for expanded access to federal funding in return for agreeing to a series of demands.

12 schools have now been asked to sign a "compact," meaning an agreement to make multiple policy changes to get preferential federal funding, including the U of A.

On Monday, they declined.

"We have to put students, faculty and staff first, marginalized people first, and I think the funds will come if you don't sell your people out," said Kristen Godfrey, a U of A student.

It's welcome news for some of the members of the U of A community, including Godfrey who adds, "I think this kind of goes hand in hand with like Trump's attack on higher education as we've seen it since his inauguration in January."

The university explaining its decision in a statement saying in part, "We seek no special treatment and believe in our ability to compete for federally funded research strictly on merit."

The compact asks the schools to make major policy changes. This includes removing sex and race as factors in admissions, assessing viewpoints of faculty and staff, and preventing transgender people from using the bathrooms of their choice.

It also asks universities to have a five-year tuition freeze and place a cap on the number of international students.

After U of A declined the deal, a news outlet in Phoenix learned Arizona State University (ASU) has been offered the same deal, with three freshmen at ASU saying they're okay with the compact as long as the college gets research money.

"Money towards research is always a plus. No matter what it's for, it could always be beneficial towards a good causes," said one ASU student.

"More funding is always good for the school and the people at the school," said another ASU student.

"More money is good," said another ASU student.

However, a freshman named Jacob says he's against the compact being signed.

"I don't think the state should be involved in regulating what like people can do with their bodies, and like what'll make them happiest. But I also think that some people are disadvantaged in certain racial areas and it's just I think that admissions should consider it at times," Jacob explained.

ASU has not indicated whether it will sign the compact.

Originally, only nine universities were asked to sign. So far, seven of the now 12 schools have declined.

Other schools, a mix of public and private universities, have either said they are reviewing the compact or haven't commented publicly.