WASHINGTON (AP) — Cornell University has agreed to pay $60 million and accept the Trump administration’s interpretation of federal civil rights laws to restore federal funding and end multiple investigations into the Ivy League institution.
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced the agreement Friday, saying it restores more than $250 million in previously withheld federal research funding while reaffirming the university’s academic freedom.
Under the deal, Cornell will pay $30 million directly to the U.S. government and allocate another $30 million toward agricultural research benefiting U.S. farmers.
Kotlikoff said the agreement “revives the campus’ partnership with the federal government while affirming the university’s commitment to the principles of academic freedom, independence, and institutional autonomy that, from our founding, have been integral to our excellence.”
The six-page agreement mirrors a similar deal reached by the University of Virginia last month, and is notably shorter than those signed by Columbia University and Brown University.
Cornell must now comply with the government’s interpretation of civil rights laws covering antisemitism, racial discrimination, and transgender issues. A Justice Department memo ordering colleges to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and policies accommodating transgender students will serve as a training resource for Cornell’s faculty and staff.
The university will also provide extensive admissions data to ensure that race is no longer considered a factor in admissions, in line with the 2023 Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that some institutions continue to defy that decision.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the agreement, calling it a “transformative commitment” that emphasizes “merit, rigor, and truth-seeking.”
“These reforms are a huge win in the fight to restore excellence to American higher education and make our schools the greatest in the world,” McMahon said in a post on X.
Under the terms, Cornell’s president must personally certify compliance every quarter through 2028.
The agreement also highlights differing outcomes among universities seeking to resolve similar federal probes. Columbia agreed to pay $200 million, Brown will pay $50 million to state workforce organizations, and Virginia’s deal required no payment.
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