More than 70 professors and students gathered on the East Coast this Friday, staging a significant protest in Midtown streets against billionaire investor Marc Rowan's participation in President Donald Trump's controversial higher education compact. This demonstration formed part of a broader National Day of Action for Higher Education, coordinated by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), which saw over 100 similar events across US campuses.
Protest Against Billionaire Influence in Academia
The rally took place outside Apollo Global Management's headquarters, bringing together AAUP members from prominent institutions including NYU, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Participants directed their anger toward Marc Rowan, founder of Apollo and a Trump donor who played a key role in developing the compact, demanding he cease influencing university policies.
Protesters carried signs with powerful messages like "No Compact, No Loyalty Oath, No Oligarchs" while speakers highlighted concerns about wealthy individuals transforming universities into ideological battlegrounds. A small police presence monitored the peaceful demonstration as it unfolded.
In anticipation of the protests, Apollo had advised approximately 1,000 employees to work remotely earlier in the week. Professor Andrew Ross, a CAS faculty member and AAUP participant, emphasized to reporters that the university community strongly opposes external interference in higher education, stating billionaires have no legitimate role in shaping institutional values.
The Controversial Education Compact
The protest centers around the Trump administration's invitation to select universities to sign a compact offering financial rewards for implementing specific policies. These include ending diversity hiring initiatives, freezing tuition fees for five years, and capping international undergraduate enrollment at 15%.
While two colleges have agreed to participate in the compact, seven of the nine institutions initially approached have declined the invitation. This resistance follows earlier efforts by AAUP members, including an October town hall at NYU encouraging universities to publicly reject the compact.
The opposition movement plans to escalate its efforts, organizing what organizers describe as "the biggest mass-organising event for higher education" in US history scheduled for May Day 2026.
Broader Political Context and Student Activism
Marc Rowan, a University of Pennsylvania alumnus, has previously engaged in initiatives intersecting with university governance. He participated in a coalition that influenced a 2019 executive order classifying "targeting of the state of Israel" as antisemitic, a policy critics argue disproportionately affected pro-Palestinian students on campuses.
NYU adopted this definition in 2020 as part of a settlement and updated its conduct guidelines in 2024 to include certain "code words" under nondiscrimination policies. In March, Trump's antisemitism task force threatened to investigate NYU and potentially cut funding, though no formal action has materialized.
Student activism played a crucial role in Friday's events, with NYU's Students for a Democratic Society organizing a noon walkout demanding the university formally reject the compact and end compliance with Trump administration policies. Students also criticized NYU Langone Health's denial of gender-affirming care to transgender patients earlier this year, expressing concerns that financial incentives increasingly guide institutional decisions rather than principles.
Professor David Markus, another CAS faculty member and AAUP participant, told reporters that faculty, students, and staff will continue mobilizing to defend the free pursuit of knowledge. He emphasized administrators' responsibility to uphold higher education as a public good rather than allowing external interests to dictate institutional direction.
The same day as the protest, Cornell University agreed to a $60 million settlement over allegations of diversity-related practices in admissions, also committing to annual surveys of Jewish students to monitor campus climate.
Future Implications for Academic Freedom
Friday's protests raise fundamental questions about governance, academic freedom, and the future direction of university policies across the United States. As the AAUP continues coordinating national actions, educational institutions face increasing pressure to balance profit motives and political alignment against principles of inclusivity and academic independence.
The growing resistance movement signals a pivotal moment for higher education, with stakeholders determined to protect universities from billionaire influence and preserve academic integrity against external political pressures.
