The Association of Governing Boards’ year‑end policy brief warned trustees that federal initiatives such as the Administration’s “Compact” could reappear in revised forms and affect institutional autonomy. AGB urged boards to assess how proposed federal expectations—tuition freezes, caps on international enrollments and constraints on inclusive‑excellence efforts—could intersect with state law and institutional governance. AGB recommended board advocacy, coordinated messaging, and use of trustee networks to inform policymakers. The guidance signals that governing boards must now factor federal enforcement risks into strategic planning, financial scenarios and presidential performance evaluations.