Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million to the Trump administration to settle a Justice Department investigation and restore federal funds that had been withheld, the DOJ announced Friday.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the settlement was “another victory” in efforts to ensure colleges protect Jewish students and prioritize merit, noting institutions that take federal money must follow civil rights law.
The Illinois private university was among about 60 colleges the Education Department accused of failing to protect Jewish students’ access to campus facilities and educational opportunities amid heated protests over the war in Gaza. In April, the White House announced it would withhold roughly $790 million in federal funds from Northwestern while investigating those allegations.
Northwestern interim President Henry Bienen told the university community the payment “is not an admission of guilt,” according to the student newspaper. The school said it negotiated the agreement rather than risk a costly legal battle.
Under the agreement, Northwestern will pay the $75 million over time through 2028 and must adopt clear policies on demonstrations, protests and expressive activities. The settlement also requires mandatory antisemitism training for all students, faculty and staff, the DOJ said.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the deal “a huge win” for higher education, saying it cements policy changes to protect campus members from harassment and recommits the university to merit-based hiring and admissions.
The university posted an explainer saying leaders weighed the risks and costs of litigation and chose to settle. Bienen, in a video statement, emphasized that the school would retain academic freedom and autonomy, saying the university would not cede federal control over hiring, admissions, curriculum or academic decisions: “Put simply, Northwestern runs Northwestern.”
The settlement follows a similar recent agreement with Cornell, which paid $60 million to unfreeze federal grants that had been withheld over alleged civil rights violations.