Northwestern University Settles with Feds for $75 Million

Key Points:

• Settlement Details:
• Northwestern University agrees to pay $75 million.
• Ends a long-standing investigation into alleged unfair treatment.

• Government had frozen federal funds, one of the largest freezes ever.

• Settlement Requirements:
• University must update policies to comply with anti-discrimination laws.

• New rules on campus protests and mandatory training on antisemitism for all students, faculty, and staff.

• Funding Restoration:
• Federal funding freeze lifted.
• Full funding expected to resume within 30 days.

• Includes overdue payments on grants and contracts.

• Impact on Northwestern:
• Funding freeze caused significant disruption.

• Led to the resignation of the university president.

• Broader Context:
• Several other universities face federal scrutiny.
• Schools like Columbia, Brown, and Cornell have also made large payments.

• University of Virginia accepted strict reporting requirements until 2028.

• Ongoing Tensions:
• Highlights tensions between universities and the federal government.
• Demonstrates the impact of government investigations on higher education.
• Shows how universities must adapt to new regulations.