Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million to the Trump administration to resolve a Justice Department investigation and recover federal funding that had been frozen, the DOJ announced Friday.
The settlement was hailed by Attorney General Pam Bondi as ‘‘another victory’’ in efforts to ensure colleges protect Jewish students and comply with civil rights requirements tied to federal funding.
The privately run Illinois university was one of about 60 institutions the Education Department accused of failing to safeguard Jewish students’ access to campus facilities and educational opportunities during heated protests over the war in Gaza. In April, the White House said it would withhold roughly $790 million in federal funds from Northwestern while the allegations were reviewed.
Interim President Henry Bienen told the university community the payment ‘‘is not an admission of guilt,’’ according to the student newspaper. Northwestern said its leaders chose to negotiate the settlement rather than engage in what could have been a lengthy, costly legal battle.
Under the terms, Northwestern will pay the $75 million over time through 2028 and must adopt clearer policies governing demonstrations, protests and other expressive activities. The agreement also requires mandatory antisemitism training for all students, faculty and staff, the DOJ said.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon described the deal as ‘‘a huge win’’ for higher education, saying it cements policy changes intended to protect campus members from harassment and reaffirms a commitment to merit-based hiring and admissions.
The university posted an explainer saying officials weighed the risks and costs of litigation and opted to settle. In a video message, Bienen stressed that Northwestern would preserve academic freedom and institutional autonomy, saying, ‘‘Put simply, Northwestern runs Northwestern.’’
The settlement follows a similar recent resolution with Cornell University, which agreed to pay $60 million to unfreeze federal grants that had been withheld amid allegations of civil rights violations.