Students, faculty and unions at Vanderbilt launched a coordinated campaign urging university leadership not to sign the federal compact offering preferential funding in exchange for policy changes. More than 900 campus constituents backed a petition titled “Vanderbilt—Don’t Sign Trump’s Fascist Compact,” and the campus AAUP chapter formally called on trustees to reject the offer. The protests reflect a broader, grassroots resistance on campuses where faculty governance bodies and graduate unions are mobilizing to defend institutional autonomy. Vanderbilt’s pushback underscores how the compact has become a flashpoint for campus politics, increasing pressure on university presidents and boards who must weigh potential federal incentives against reputational and legal risk.