The Trump administration initially offered its higher education compact to nine high-profile research universities last year before opening the invitation to all colleges. The Heritage Foundation argued the compact focused on principles such as merit, student learning and free inquiry. "All institutions should commit to these priorities without needing a federal compact," The Heritage Foundation said Tuesday. Now, The Heritage Foundation is paving the way for state lawmakers — rather than college officials — to sign on to a conservative agenda. The Heritage Foundation left it to states to determine those metrics, such as the threshold for determining which students were unlikely to graduate on time.