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Northwestern Joins Ivy Peers in Settling Federal Antitrust Investigations

By  |  November 29, 2025

Northwestern University has become the latest institution to resolve a sweeping federal investigation into its research funding practices, joining Columbia, Brown and others in reaching agreements with the Trump administration, according to Bloomberg. The deal ends a protracted standoff that halted hundreds of millions of dollars in federal support and raised high-stakes questions about political interference in higher education.

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    Per Bloomberg, the settlement requires Northwestern to pay $75 million over three years in exchange for the restoration of research funds that had been frozen under federal orders. Stop-work directives on already-approved projects will be lifted, and the university will once again qualify for new federal grants and contracts. Administrators said they expect funding to begin flowing again within days and to be fully restored within a month.

    The Chicago-area research powerhouse is now the sixth school to resolve its dispute with the administration, Bloomberg reported, and its financial penalty will be second only to Columbia University’s. The government, however, has not yet finalized a deal with its most prominent target: Harvard University, which has an endowment of roughly $57 billion.

    The freeze had taken a toll on Northwestern, which had been forced to cover research expenses out of its own budget while legal wrangling continued. Senior leaders previously warned that significant cuts to both academic and administrative spending were likely, including potential layoffs, due to the scale of the interruption.

    Political scrutiny has accompanied the investigations, fueling accusations that the White House is using federal leverage to exert influence over university governance and academic inquiry. According to Bloomberg, critics say the strategy threatens campus independence and undermines scientific progress by tying research funding to ideological goals.

    Source: House Judiciary Committee Issues Subpoena to Brown University in Ivy League Price-Fixing Probe

    The turmoil at Northwestern also coincided with leadership upheaval. Michael Schill abruptly resigned as president this fall after facing congressional questioning in 2024 over antisemitism on campuses, prompted in part by a controversial agreement with pro-Palestinian demonstrators to remove an encampment. He has been succeeded by longtime former president Henry Bienen, now serving in an interim role.

    “We must now refocus on what matters most: advancing our mission, upholding the highest standards of academic and institutional excellence, and empowering students and scholars to drive change in the world through research and innovation,” Bienen said in a statement.

    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon framed the settlement as a turning point for higher education governance. She said the agreement shows “bold leadership” and outlines protections against harassment and discrimination while reinforcing merit-based hiring and admissions practices.

    As part of the arrangement, Northwestern will revisit policies affecting international scholars, bolster protections for Jewish community members, and formally end the 2024 Deering Meadow pact that resolved the protest encampment.

    Source: Bloomberg