The American Association of University Professors denounced what it calls politician and donor “extortion” of universities, arguing the federal government is using threats to withhold research funding to demand sweeping changes to institutional governance, hiring, curriculum, and campus policies. AAUP President Todd Wolfson said these actions aim to remake higher education beyond civil-rights enforcement. AAUP released a report titled “Extorted Compliance: A Threat to Institutional Autonomy, Academic Freedom, and Shared Governance,” citing pressure on Columbia University through research-funding cuts and a proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” AAUP leaders argued this approach conditions academic freedom and shared governance on political compliance. The White House did not respond to requests for comment in the report. The dispute centers on whether universities’ autonomy and faculty governance structures can remain insulated when federal dollars become leverage for ideological or operational directives.