Northwestern University has reached a substantial $75 million agreement with the US federal government, concluding an investigation into claims of race-based admissions practices and a reportedly hostile campus atmosphere for Jewish students.
Terms of the Landmark Agreement
The settlement, announced on a Friday by the Trump administration, mandates that the Illinois-based institution implement sweeping changes. A core requirement is mandatory antisemitism training for all students, faculty, and staff.
Furthermore, the university must fully comply with federal anti-discrimination laws to ensure it does not preference individuals based on race, colour, or national origin in its admissions, scholarships, hiring, or promotion processes. This mammoth financial agreement will see Northwestern making payments through to 2028.
Consequences and Leadership Fallout
The federal probe had severe immediate consequences for the university, leading to the government freezing hundreds of millions of dollars in vital research funding. As a direct result of this settlement, that funding will now be restored.
The crisis also precipitated a major leadership change, culminating in the resignation of the university's president, Michael Schill, after three years in the role. Schill had previously faced intense scrutiny, including testifying before Congress over allegations that Northwestern was failing to protect Jewish students from harassment during pro-Palestine protests following the October 7 Hamas attack.
Interim president Henry Bienen stated that the deal ends a deeply painful and disruptive period in the institution's history. He emphasised that the agreement was made based on the university's values, asserting, 'Northwestern runs Northwestern. Period.' The university clarified that it chose to settle because the cost and risks of a legal battle were prohibitively high.
Broader Implications and Similar Cases
Officials from the Trump administration hailed the settlement as a major victory. Education Secretary Linda McMahon described it as a huge win for current and future students, alumni, and faculty, calling it a roadmap that would help rebuild public trust in educational institutions.
Attorney General Pam Bondi added that the agreement ensures American universities will protect Jewish students and put merit first. As part of the comprehensive terms, Northwestern will hire an external party to conduct a survey on the campus climate, with a specific focus on the experience of Jewish students.
This settlement is not an isolated case. It follows a similar pattern of agreements between the Trump administration and other prestigious universities, including a $220 million settlement with Columbia University in July. Other institutions like Brown, Cornell, and the University of Virginia have also struck comparable deals, often involving the restoration of frozen federal research funding in exchange for policy overhauls concerning campus antisemitism and disciplinary processes.
