The Donald Trump administration is demanding that UCLA pay over $1 billion to restore federal research funding that was frozen amid allegations of civil rights violations, marking the largest financial settlement sought from a university in the ongoing campaign against elite institutions accused of discrimination and bias.
The proposed settlement also requires UCLA to contribute an additional $172 million to a fund compensating victims of civil rights violations. If accepted, this would be the largest payout by any university settling with the White House so far, according to The New York Times.
For comparison, Columbia University agreed to pay $221 million, and Brown University pledged $50 million toward state workforce programs.
UCLA chancellor Julio Frenk recently revealed that approximately $584 million in research funding was already “suspended and at risk.” Like many top universities, UCLA relies heavily on federal research grants , which constitute about 11 per cent of its total revenue.
Notably, on July 29- the day the University of California settled a lawsuit accusing UCLA of allowing pro-Palestinian protesters to block Jewish students on campus- the Justice Department announced it believed UCLA had committed civil rights violations. Shortly after, the federal government began freezing research funds.
California governor Gavin Newsom , a vocal critic of President Trump and an ex officio member of the university’s board of regents, condemned the administration’s actions. On Thursday, he declared, “I will fight like hell to make sure that doesn't happen,” adding, “There's principles. There's right and wrong, and we'll do the right thing, and what President Trump is doing is wrong, and everybody knows it.”
Despite this opposition, the University of California has agreed to engage in dialogue with the federal government. Milliken noted on Wednesday that the university was willing “to engage in dialogue with the federal administration,” but criticised the cuts, saying, as quoted by The New York Times. “These cuts do nothing to address antisemitism. Moreover, the extensive work that UCLA and the entire University of California have taken to combat antisemitism has apparently been ignored.”
Beyond financial demands, the White House’s proposed settlement includes conditions such as appointing a monitor to enforce compliance, ending scholarships tied to race or ethnicity, and eliminating diversity statements in hiring processes. However, the agreement contains provisions meant to safeguard academic freedom, admissions, and hiring decisions from direct government interference.
The Trump administration is also negotiating similar settlements with other prestigious universities, including Cornell and Harvard. While Brown and Columbia agreed to financial settlements, the University of Pennsylvania reached a deal without any monetary penalties.
The proposed settlement also requires UCLA to contribute an additional $172 million to a fund compensating victims of civil rights violations. If accepted, this would be the largest payout by any university settling with the White House so far, according to The New York Times.
For comparison, Columbia University agreed to pay $221 million, and Brown University pledged $50 million toward state workforce programs.
UCLA chancellor Julio Frenk recently revealed that approximately $584 million in research funding was already “suspended and at risk.” Like many top universities, UCLA relies heavily on federal research grants , which constitute about 11 per cent of its total revenue.
Notably, on July 29- the day the University of California settled a lawsuit accusing UCLA of allowing pro-Palestinian protesters to block Jewish students on campus- the Justice Department announced it believed UCLA had committed civil rights violations. Shortly after, the federal government began freezing research funds.
California governor Gavin Newsom , a vocal critic of President Trump and an ex officio member of the university’s board of regents, condemned the administration’s actions. On Thursday, he declared, “I will fight like hell to make sure that doesn't happen,” adding, “There's principles. There's right and wrong, and we'll do the right thing, and what President Trump is doing is wrong, and everybody knows it.”
Despite this opposition, the University of California has agreed to engage in dialogue with the federal government. Milliken noted on Wednesday that the university was willing “to engage in dialogue with the federal administration,” but criticised the cuts, saying, as quoted by The New York Times. “These cuts do nothing to address antisemitism. Moreover, the extensive work that UCLA and the entire University of California have taken to combat antisemitism has apparently been ignored.”
Beyond financial demands, the White House’s proposed settlement includes conditions such as appointing a monitor to enforce compliance, ending scholarships tied to race or ethnicity, and eliminating diversity statements in hiring processes. However, the agreement contains provisions meant to safeguard academic freedom, admissions, and hiring decisions from direct government interference.
The Trump administration is also negotiating similar settlements with other prestigious universities, including Cornell and Harvard. While Brown and Columbia agreed to financial settlements, the University of Pennsylvania reached a deal without any monetary penalties.
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