Brown students, faculty to stage protest to Trump ‘Academic Excellence’ compact

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Up in College Hill, students and faculty at Brown University will hold a demonstration to urge the university’s president to not sign the White House’s newly announced “Compact for Academic Excellence” memo.

That memo was sent to Brown and eight other schools last week, that include new stipulations such as disregarding sex and gender in financial support, share admissions data with the federal government, limit the amount of foreign students admitted and end departments that allegedly, according to the Trump administration “purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas.”

The group, Brown Rise Up, is now voicing frustration with university president Christina Paxson for allegedly “deliberating her response.”

The protestors will tape their mouths shut, and deliver a joint statement to President Paxson urging her to not sign that agreement.

Back in July, Brown University signed an agreement with the Trump administration to free up research funding, with an important stipulation.

In her letter to the Brown Community, President Paxton wrote in part, “The voluntary agreement will reinstate payments for active research grants…while also meeting the core imperative of preserving the ability for our students and scholars — both domestic and international — to teach and learn without government intrusion.”

We’ve reached out to Brown University regarding today’s protest and will update you when we learn more.