Brown University restores funding in $50 million deal with Trump administration
Brown University has reached a $50 million agreement with the federal government to restore more than $500 million in federal funds that the Trump administration froze in April.
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The University of Virginia has reached an agreement with the Trump administration that will subject it to White House guidance on admissions and hiring and suspend a Justice Department investigation into the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
The agreement comes after the Justice Department accused the university and other universities across the country of trying to defy White House demands to eliminate DEI policies on campus.
When the Department of Justice announced the agreement on Wednesday, Oct. 22, officials said the agreement would “protect UVA students, faculty, and employees from violations of federal civil rights laws, including discrimination based on race, sex, or national origin.”
Meanwhile, the school said in a message to the community that the agreement “includes no financial penalties or external oversight and affirms UVA’s academic freedom.”
Under the agreement, the university agreed to follow the Department’s guidance on discrimination as a recipient of federal funds and submit data demonstrating its compliance on a quarterly basis through 2028, according to the Department of Justice.
“Once UVA completes its reform plan to ban DEI on campus, the Department will conclude its investigation into UVA,” the Justice Department said.
“This remarkable agreement with the University of Virginia will protect students, faculty and staff from unlawful discrimination and ensure equal opportunity and equity is restored,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a news release. “We are grateful for the university’s progress in combating anti-Semitism and racial bias, and other American universities should be vigilant as the Department of Justice ensures that federal civil rights laws are enforced for all Americans without exception.”
In a message to University officials, University of Virginia Interim President Paul Mahoney said the school intends to “continue a thorough review of its practices and policies to ensure compliance with all federal laws.”
“We will also redouble our commitment to the principles of academic freedom, ideological diversity, freedom of expression, and, as Thomas Jefferson said, the unwavering pursuit of ‘truth wherever it leads.’ “Through this process, we are committed to ensuring our communities, state and federal partners, and the public that we are worthy of the trust they place in us and the resources they provide us to advance our education, research, and patient care missions.”
The university’s agreement with the administration follows similar agreements across the country as universities struggle to preserve federal funding amid government investigations and threats. Other universities that have agreements with the administration include Brown University in Rhode Island and Columbia University in New York.
Under pressure from the Trump administration since April, University of Virginia President James Ryan resigned, saying, “I cannot unilaterally decide to fight the federal government to save my job.”
