Ivory tower shakeup: Trump admin pulls plug on $1.8 billion in funding to Northwestern and Cornell universities over alleged civil rights violations

US president Donald Trump's government will suspend almost $1.8 billion in federal funds to two large universities, Northwestern University and Cornell University, as it investigates possible civil rights abuses, as per a report.

Trump Administration’s Focus on Civil Rights and Campus Protests

A government official on anonymity said, "The money was frozen in connection with several ongoing, credible, and concerning Title VI investigations," quoted CNN.

The action is part of the Trump administration's demands to change the programs of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at several elite universities and the way they address campus protests, especially concerning the current Gaza war, as per CNN.


Last month, the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, said it had started Title VI investigations into 45 universities, claiming it has “reiterated the schools’ civil rights obligations to end the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities,” as quoted in the report.

Cornell University’s Response to Funding Freeze

Cornell University, whose more than $1 billion in funding is supposed to be frozen, has claimed it was “aware of media reports” but said the University has not received any official information that would confirm the $1 billion figure, reported CNN.

However, Cornell University got an official notice of “more than 75 stop work orders from the Department of Defense related to research that is profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health,” as quoted in the report.

Northwestern University’s Concern About Research Funding

Even Northwestern University learned of the funding freeze via the media and has not received an official notification from the government, according to CNN. The university mentioned that, “Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and life-saving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” quoted CNN. It also pointed out that, "This type of research is now at jeopardy. The University has fully cooperated with investigations by both the Department of Education and Congress,” as quoted in the report.

Other Universities Impacted Too

Similarly, other universities such as Princeton, Brown, and Columbia have faced funding reductions and investigations. Princeton, for instance, lost about $4 million in research funding recently because of the administration's effort to cut support for initiatives that are not in line with its priorities, as per CNN.

The administration demanded Harvard University eliminate the diversity, equity and inclusion programs and ban masks at campus protests to keep its $9 billion federal funding, according to the report.

FAQs

Why is the Trump administration freezing funding to universities?
It’s part of investigations into potential civil rights violations, particularly related to diversity programs and campus protests.

What is Title VI?
Title VI is a civil rights statute that does not allow discrimination in programs receiving federal funds, as per CNN.