At his annual State of the University address, Chancellor Andrew D. Martin expressed optimism for the future despite significant struggles during the past year. 

While Chancellor Martin may continue to be in talks with the Trump administration about the compact, we implore him and other members of the University’s administration to stand by the values and goals we have committed to as a University. Moreover, we call on him to take stances beyond the scope of this compact, as the Trump administration continues to make decisions impacting the WashU community, both on and off campus.

WashU ranked 72nd out of 257 colleges in the 2026 Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) College Free Speech Rankings survey, with an overall “D- speech climate grade.”

While the University has not publicly stated the amount they spent on the transition, an internal financial document obtained by Student Life shows the school spent almost $235 million on Workday.

Chancellor Andrew D. Martin explained his decision to meet with Trump administration officials to discuss their proposed compact for higher education in a University-wide email sent Monday morning. He also noted in the message that his participation in the meeting does not mean WashU has endorsed or signed the document.

WashU has eliminated 316 staff positions and “closed 198 open and vacant positions” from the Danforth and Medical campuses and the Central Fiscal Unit (CFU), Chancellor Andrew Martin announced in a University-wide email addressed to faculty and staff on Tuesday afternoon. 

In the wake of universities facing financial blows from the Trump administration, Chancellor Andrew Martin, in a Q&A with Student Union (SU), discussed how the University will continue to support need-based scholarships and fill funding gaps caused by the potential cuts to the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) funding. 

Washington University will host U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor for a “fireside chat” Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Field House of the Athletic Complex.

On April 22, 2025, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) released a statement signed by hundreds of university and college presidents opposing government intrusion into institutions of higher education. The signatories included presidents from both public and private universities, many of which have faced direct attacks from the Trump administration. While the number of signatories has grown to more than 500 since the statement’s publication, WashU’s Chancellor Andrew Martin has yet to sign the letter.

WashU Chancellor Andrew Martin sat down for an interview with Student Life last Thursday, April 3. Martin spoke about University plans regarding federal defunding, on-campus construction, and student advocacy.