0:19Individuals navigate the Brown University campus in Providence, R.I., on Oct. 12, 2020. Steven Senne/AP, FILE
On Wednesday, Brown University reached a $50 million agreement with the Trump administration following extensive discussions regarding its suspended funding for medical and health sciences.
The voluntary arrangement, valued at $50 million over a decade, will support state workforce development organizations that adhere to anti-discrimination regulations.
This announcement follows closely after Columbia University’s resolution agreement exceeding $200 million with the administration. It also marks the third agreement established with an Ivy League institution within the month, following the University of Pennsylvania’s settlement regarding Title IX infractions.
The administration accused Brown of not adequately addressing antisemitism and discrimination on its campus. Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that the agreement signifies a reversal of the longstanding “woke-capture” of the nation’s higher education institutions.
“Brown has pledged to implement proactive initiatives to safeguard Jewish students and combat antisemitism on campus,” McMahon expressed in a statement.
Individuals navigate the Brown University campus in Providence, R.I., on Oct. 12, 2020. Steven Senne/AP, FILE
“Women’s sports and private facilities will be safeguarded for women, and Title IX will be enforced as originally intended,” she remarked.
The agreement will reinstate funding for ongoing research grants and restore Brown’s capacity to compete for new federal grants and contracts while also fulfilling Brown’s fundamental goal of allowing its students and scholars to teach and learn free from governmental interference, as stated by the university.
“We commend the agreement’s clear declaration that it does not grant the government the ‘authority to dictate Brown’s curriculum or the content of academic discourse,’” University President Christina Paxton mentioned in a statement.
Unlike other institutions, Brown indicated it had not received any explanation for the halt of its federal research funding, and at no point has Brown been notified of any determination that it violated any laws. The agreement asserts that “Brown expressly denies liability concerning the United States’ allegations or findings.”
In March, Brown had over $500 million in federal research grants and contracts paused. The institution reportedly faced financial difficulties without this funding and stated it secured a $300 million loan in April and an additional $500 million loan earlier this month.
Among the numerous universities under pressure from the administration to cease what it refers to as divisive policies, including but not limited to antisemitism and DEI, Brown stands out as one of the most notable institutions from which the administration has withheld federal funding due to alleged violations.
Harvard University is currently engaged in ongoing discussions with the Trump administration about its agreement as it faces off against the White House in court. The administration’s joint task force on antisemitism has frozen over $2 billion in federal funding due to the school’s failure to denounce alleged harassment of Jewish students.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
