Updated Nov. 28, 2025 / CBS Chicago
Northwestern University will pay $75 million to the federal government over three years to resolve a Trump administration investigation into alleged antisemitism and to secure the restoration of hundreds of millions in frozen federal funds. The agreement, announced Friday by the university and the administration, follows an April freeze of $790 million in federal funds while the government probed whether the school fostered antisemitic discrimination.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the settlement was a victory in the administration’s effort to ensure educational institutions protect Jewish students and follow civil rights laws. Northwestern said it expects the previously frozen federal funding to be fully restored within 30 days under the terms of the deal.
Beyond the payment, Northwestern agreed to review its international admissions practices, create training for international students on campus norms, and reaffirm commitments to protect Jewish members of the campus community. The university also emphasized that it preserved control over hiring, admissions and curriculum in the agreement.
Interim President Henry Bienen defended the settlement, saying the university insisted on “hard red lines” during negotiations and would not cede control over who it hires, admits or what faculty teach. “Northwestern runs Northwestern. Period,” he wrote.
In August, a group of Northwestern faculty urged leaders not to strike a deal with the administration, calling such concessions an acquiescence to tactics that would undermine higher education and amount to an improper ransom.
The federal funding freeze prompted Northwestern to impose a hiring freeze, enact cutbacks, announce layoffs and change programs and benefits to address a budget shortfall. Former university president Michael Schill resigned in September amid the controversy.
Several other major universities have reached settlements with the Trump administration in recent months to resolve investigations into antisemitism and other issues. Columbia University agreed in July to pay $200 million over three years and an additional $21 million to settle U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claims. Cornell University agreed to pay $30 million to resolve a probe into alleged antisemitic harassment and discrimination and committed $30 million to U.S. agricultural research. Brown University also struck a deal to restore grant funding in exchange for commitments on women’s sports, antisemitism, admissions practices and a $50 million workforce development donation. The University of Pennsylvania recently reached an agreement with the administration over its policy on transgender athletes in women’s sports.