The Big Ten is known for two main things: football and decades-long school rivalries. The University of Michigan and Ohio State University, for example, have been at each other’s throats for more than 100 years, and the University of Washington and the University of Oregon have been doing a Pacific Northwest back-and-forth with no end in sight. All of this to say, the Big Ten lives for competition. However, the current political climate may be bringing them together in a way that’s never been seen before.
On March 30, 2025, the Rutgers University Senate proposed a resolution to create a “Mutual Defense Compact,” a potential pact between all 18 universities under the Big Ten academic alliance in order to combat any threats from the Trump administration. It was then passed on April 6 by the Rutgers University Senate and later adopted by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, the University of Indiana at Bloomington, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and more Big Ten schools. Most recently, on April 15, Michigan State University joined the resolution, with several more still considering the offer, including the University of Michigan.
The initial proposal drafted by Rutgers University is titled “Resolution to Establish a Mutual Defense Compact for the Universities of the Big Ten Academic Alliance in Defense of Academic Freedom, Institutional Integrity, and the Research Enterprise.” It calls for the creation of a “Mutual Academic Defense Compact (MADC)” among the Big Ten schools to protect themselves against “recent and escalating politically motivated actions by governmental bodies,” per the resolution. This comes following the Trump administration’s decision to freeze over $2 billion in federal funds to Harvard after the university refused to comply with a list of demands that mainly targeted students and campus protests.
The resolution calls for a need for schools to protect themselves against a “significant threat to the foundational principles of American higher education, including the autonomy of university governance, the integrity of scientific research, and the protection of free speech.” The main goal is for all participating universities to contribute financially to a shared fund. This would then be used to support any university within the pact that falls “under direct political or legal infringement” — such as what is currently occurring with Harvard — quickly and effectively. Beyond finances, if any participating university asks for it, participating schools must offer legal counsel, expert input, and a unified, immediate response from the coalition. This includes legal action, representation, advocacy, research, and support.Â
Many schools in the Big Ten have already been targeted by the Trump administration. Indiana University (part of the compact) is among 60 schools under federal investigation over alleged violations relating to antisemitism. The administration has also come after the University of Washington and Pennsylvania State University, which saw over a dozen of their international students’ visas cancelled, with UW now having 23 student visas revoked. Additionally, federal authorities are investigating the University of Oregon’s partnership with a non-profit organization that supports students from marginalized communities in obtaining degrees, called the PhD Project. The Mutual Defense Compact could offer protection and a support system among the Big Ten in these cases, protecting academic integrity and its most vulnerable members of the student body.
However, there are many members of the Big Ten not feeling entirely comfortable joining the alliance. In fact, University of Michigan physics Professor Keith Riles urged his colleagues to vote against the compact, even calling it a “mutual suicide pact,” according to the Michigan Advance during a hearing on Thursday, April 17. Rutgers will host a meeting in May for anyone with questions or concerns about the resolution or for those interested in learning more.