The five remaining universities that have not announced a decision on President Donald Trump's higher-education compact have been asked to join a White House call Friday to discuss the proposed deal, according to two people familiar with the matter. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the private call. It follows a flurry of rejections from four of the nine universities invited to be "initial signatories" of the agreement. The White House asked university leaders to provide initial feedback by Oct. 20, yet as the deadline approaches, none have signed on to the document.

The White House is asking nine major universities to commit to President Donald Trump's political priorities in exchange for more favorable access to federal money. A document sent to the universities encourages them to adopt the White House's vision for America's campuses. Schools are asked to accept the government's priorities on admissions, women's sports, free speech, student discipline and college affordability, among other topics. The schools are Vanderbilt, the University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, the University of Southern California, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University and the University of Virginia. It's not clear how or why they were selected.

The State Department says it's investigating whether Harvard University will remain part of a government program that allows foreign nationals to take part in cultural and education exchange programs. The move Wednesday is the latest in a series of inquires by the Trump administration targeted the Ivy League school. Harvard already has filed a lawsuit challenging $2.6 billion in federal funding cuts. And the school accuses the administration of waging a retaliation campaign after Harvard rejected demands from a federal antisemitism task force in April. The State Department isn't saying why it's investigating Harvard's eligibility to take part in the Exchange Visitor Program.

Harvard University has appeared in federal court, challenging $2.6 billion in funding cuts by the Trump administration. At the hearing on Monday, the university accused the government of using funding as leverage to control its academic decisions. The cuts followed Harvard's rejection of demands from a federal antisemitism task force. The task force wants sweeping changes to Harvard's policies on campus protests, admissions, hiring and more. Harvard, with a $53 billion endowment, has self-funded some research but warns it can't cover all losses. The Trump administration denies retaliation, stating the cuts align with its policies. Monday's hearing ended without the judge issuing a ruling from the bench. A ruling is expected later in writing.

The Trump administration has intensified its battle with Harvard University. It's taken a legal step that could jeopardize all of Harvard's federal funding including its ability to accept federal student loans or grants. The administration says it's concluded an investigation of Harvard University and that the school failed to protect Jewish students from harassment. The administration is threatening to cut all federal funding from the Ivy League school if it fails to take action. In a statement, Harvard said it strongly disagrees with the government findings and is committed to fighting bias.

A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's efforts to keep Harvard University from hosting international students. The order from U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs preserves the ability of Harvard to host foreign students while the case is decided. It marks another victory for the Ivy League school as it challenges multiple government sanctions amid a battle with the White House. Harvard sued the Department of Homeland Security in May after the agency withdrew the school's certification to host foreign students and issue paperwork for their visas.

Harvard graduates are celebrating commencement at a pivotal time for the Ivy League school. The cap and gown-clad students cheered speakers Wednesday who stressed the importance of maintaining a diverse and international student body while standing up for the truth at a time the esteemed university is under threat by the Trump administration. Harvard's battles with Trump over funding and restrictions on teaching and admissions are just the latest challenge for graduates who began school as world was emerging from the pandemic. Yurong Luanna Jiang, a Chinese graduate who studied international development, told her fellow graduates that she grew up believing the "world was becoming a small village." Now, though, she says she wonders if that worldview is under threat.

The Trump administration is asking federal agencies to cancel contracts with Harvard University worth about $100 million. The move intensifies the president's clash with the nation's oldest and wealthiest university. The government already has canceled more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants for the Ivy League school, which has pushed back on the administration's demands for changes to several of its policies. A letter sent Tuesday from the General Services Administration directed agencies to review contracts with the university and seek alternate vendors. President Donald Trump has railed against Harvard, calling it a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. The school filed a lawsuit over the administration's calls for changes to the university.

President Donald Trump's administration is cutting another $450 million in grants to Harvard University a day after the Ivy League school pushed back against government allegations it's a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. A federal antisemitism task force said in a letter to Harvard on Tuesday it will lose grants from eight federal agencies in addition to $2.2 billion previously frozen by the Republican administration. The letter says Harvard has become a "breeding ground for virtue signaling and discrimination" and faces an "uphill battle" to reclaim its legacy as a place of academic excellence. Harvard disputes the government's allegations, saying it is nonpartisan and has taken steps to root out antisemitism on campus.