A Military College's Bid for Federal Funds Amid Turmoil

Valley Forge Military College is in a tough spot. They're facing money problems and big changes. Now, they're thinking about joining President Donald Trump's plan for colleges that support conservative values. This plan, called the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education, offers federal money to schools that promise to teach "American and Western values, " stop diversity programs, and use strict definitions of gender. Critics say this could lead to problems with free speech and fair treatment for all students. The college sent a letter to the U. S. Department of Education saying they want to be the first military school to join this compact. They say their goals match the compact's ideas of excellence and preparing students for the future. But they didn't mention politics or conservative values directly. Instead, they talked about their focus on academic rigor and leadership. Valley Forge Military College is all that's left of a once-important academy. The school has been struggling with money issues, fewer students, and lawsuits. They even announced they might close next year. Recently, they switched to online classes for a while because they didn't have enough staff. To make money, they've tried different things, like licensing their name to a school in Qatar and selling parts of their campus. Some alumni are sad to see the school change. Robert Bohrer, who went to the academy in the 1960s, remembers it as a place of discipline and excellence. He says politics wasn't a big part of the curriculum back then. Now, the school's future is uncertain, and their decision to join Trump's compact is just one of many challenges they're facing.