Historically Black University Expresses Interest in Trump’s Academic Compact
St. Augustine’s University, a historically Black college in North Carolina, has become the first to express interest in joining President Trump’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, following the rejection by Ivy League and other prominent universities. The school’s interim president and board chair outlined support for the initiative’s goals of academic excellence, accountability, and transparency, while also raising concerns about the compact’s policies on race, ethnicity, and tuition freezes that may conflict with HBCUs’ mission.
Verjanis Peoples, the interim president of St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, sent a letter to David Barker, the Trump administration’s assistant secretary for postsecondary education, confirming the school’s wish to participate in the compact. Sophie Gibson, the chair of the school’s board of trustees, also signed the letter obtained by Fox News Digital, which was sent to the Department of Education on Wednesday.