Miami University's chapter of the Ohio Student Association organized a 'silent march' to the university's administrative offices Friday morning to urge leaders to reject offers by the Trump administration to change its policies in exchange for additional grant funding.
In October, President Trump presented the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education to nine universities, most of which have rejected the proposal. The compact asks schools to scrap diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, limit the number of foreign students enrolled, and require all employees to remain neutral on all political and societal issues.
While the offer has fallen flat with some of the country's top universities, other institutions have expressed interest in the deal.
Miami has not publicly commented on whether the compact has been offered to the university, or what it would do if presented with the deal. WVXU contacted a university spokesperson for comment, but has not heard back.
Much of what's in Trump's compact has already been imposed on Ohio institutions after the passage of Senate Bill 1, which has shut down student centers and ended several academic programs at schools across the state.
Student Ashley Reynolds says the silent march represents how students and faculty would be further silenced if the university agrees to the federal government's terms.
"You hear from faculty, their concerns about teaching classes," Reynolds said. "What are they able to teach? What are they not able to teach?"
Student Kali Bancroft says political pressure has made life on campus harder for some students.
“One of the biggest concerns that we’ve had and continually heard from students is the lack of a sense of community, especially following the closures of our diversity centers."
Students say they've invited members of Miami's administration to participate in a town-hall-style meeting later this month.
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