Trump Administration Halts $1 Billion for Cornell, $790 Million for Northwestern

Trump administration's decision to freeze over $1 billion in federal funding for Cornell University and $790 million for Northwestern University has raised significant concerns regarding the implications for higher education and research. The stated rationale behind this action is linked to ongoing Title VI investigations into potential discrimination within federally funded programs at these institutions . Notably, both universities were informed of the freezes through media reports rather than official notifications, highlighting a lack of transparency in the process .

The funding pause involves mostly grants from and contracts with the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education and Health and Human Services, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the unannounced decision.

Columbia, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton.

In a statement, Cornell said it had received more than 75 stop work orders earlier Tuesday from the Defense Department related to research "profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health" but that it had not otherwise received any information confirming $1 billion in frozen grants.

"We are actively seeking information from federal officials to learn more about the basis for these decisions," said the statement from Michael I. Kotlikoff, the university president, and other top school officials.

In an email to the Northwestern community, university president Michael Schill said it had not been notified by the federal government of the cuts, according to The Daily Northwestern, the campus newspaper.

Harvard University and has since listed conditions it must meet to receive federal money. Princeton University also said last week the government froze dozens of research grants.

Last month, the Trump administration canceled $400 million in funding for Columbia University, the epicenter of last year's pro-Palestinian campus protests.

Columbia agreed to some significant changes that Trump's administration demanded for talks about restoring the funding.

The revocation of funding has left universities walking on eggshells, desperate to keep much-need funding. Students at Columbia University report a tense mood on campus after being center stage in the Trump administration’s multi-prong fight against protests at colleges around the country last year, including deportation efforts against some international students who took part in the demonstrations.

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Sarah H

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