Lead: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill publicly rejected the federal "Compact for Academic Excellence," saying it would not sign the agreement as written and would be unable to meet several of its mandates. Chancellor Lee Roberts told faculty the university hadn’t received a formal invitation but stressed the compact’s provisions — sweeping changes to admissions, hiring, tuition freezes and caps on international enrollment — were unworkable for UNC. UNC’s refusal follows a string of high-profile rejections from leading research universities and underscores deep resistance among institutions that see the compact as infringing on academic freedom and institutional autonomy. The initial invite list included nine selective universities; most declined or sought changes. For trustees and presidents, the episode signals continued friction between federal priorities and campus governance. Universities that publicly decline risk political blowback in state capitals; those that engage will face scrutiny from faculty and donors over concessions tied to federal funding.