The Academic Senate hosted a special meeting Monday for faculty members to “share their feelings and opinions” on the draft compact that President Donald Trump sent to USC as well as eight other universities Thursday. Interim President Beong-Soo Kim and about 500 faculty attended the meeting and heard from over 30 faculty members who all said they did not want USC to sign the compact. 

The compact would reportedly give universities preferential access to federal funding in exchange for implementing policies like limiting international student admissions, freezing tuition and refraining from commenting on political issues, among other demands.

In his remarks at the start of the meeting, Kim said that USC did not solicit the letter and that no final decision has been made because Kim wanted to make sure he heard faculty input. Kim also said that USC has been asked to provide feedback on the draft compact and has not been asked to sign anything.

“I made a special effort to come as part of my commitment to engage with you, have a constructive dialogue and most importantly to listen,” Kim said. 

Howard Rodman, a professor in the School of Cinematic Arts, said he believed in, “sacrificing money to stay true to what our mission should be.”

Samuel Mistrano, associate professor at the Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, said the nine schools that received the compact needed to come together and develop a leadership for colleges in the United States to respond to potential harm, emphasizing a future role for USC. 

“This could be somewhat of an opportunity if USC takes a leadership role,” Mistrano said. 

Margaret Moser, an assistant professor at the School of Cinematic Arts, asked Kim what he sees as the financial stakes in the decision. In response, Kim said that he intended to stay quiet and listen to faculty perspectives in the session. 

“If you read the language of the compact, it very much appears that the administration is trying to do something very different here, and, instead of focusing on withholding the funds, really thinking more of potential incentives,” Kim said.

Brent Blair, a professor at the School of Dramatic Arts and director of theatre and social change, said that he found the compact’s request of university neutrality “curious.” He said that theater and social change are by definition not neutral. 

“I would expect the administration to back up its faculty and say under no conditions do we find this compact to be acceptable,” Blair said. 

Edward Saxon, chair of the Peter Stark Producing Program at the School of Cinematic Arts, said that the government is engaged in a war on education, and USC needed to be in solidarity with other universities. 

“History will not judge USC kindly if it agrees to this compact,” Saxon said.

Multiple members of the faculty who spoke at the meeting said they believed USC should not negotiate about the compact at all. Amelia Jones, a professor and vice dean of faculty and research at Roski School of Art and Design, said that “there can be no negotiation.”

“[The Trump Administration is] playing by the fascist playbook, if you study the 1930s. Solidarity is key. We have to work with other campuses,” Jones said. 

Kristin Diehl, a professor of marketing at Marshall School of Business, discussed being raised in Germany and related her background to the conversation on the compact. 

“One thing I was taught from the age of eight in Germany is to stop the beginning, and that you cannot negotiate,” Diehl said. “If we are asked to give feedback, we have to reject every single notion. When you dig deeper, it’s against everything we stand for as academics and as universities.” 

Michael Bodie, an associate professor at SCA, questioned the position of the Board of Trustees as decisionmakers regarding the compact.  

“[The Board of Trustees] should be definitely fighting for our side. I would hope that they would hear what we are saying as well,” Bodie said. 

As the meeting drew to an end, Kim was one of the last to speak. He said he values hearing the feedback of faculty and appreciates what they do for the University. 

“I would ask that you not overinterpret my silence, sometimes the hardest thing to do is listen, and that’s what I have been trying hard to do,” Kim said.

The Academic Senate will meet again Oct. 15 to further discuss the compact.