Northwestern University president steps down after Trump funding cuts

CHICAGO – Northwestern University’s president Michael Schill announced his resignation on Sept 4, capping a three-year tenure after US President Donald Trump’s administration froze federal funding for the university and Republican lawmakers alleged that Northwestern had failed to address anti-Semitism on campus.

Mr Schill said in a statement that it was the “right time” for new leadership to guide the Chicago-area university into the future, and that he would remain in place until an interim president is named. 

“I... recognise that difficult problems remain, particularly at the federal level,” he said.

“It is critical that we continue to protect the university’s research mission and excellence while preserving academic freedom, integrity and independence.”

In April, Mr Trump’s administration

froze nearly US$800 million (S$1 billion) in research funding

for Northwestern after Republicans in the House of Representatives accused the university of not doing enough to address anti-Semitism, including during campus protests against the Gaza war. 

As a result, Northwestern reduced administrative and academic budgets and cut 425 positions – nearly half of which were vacant – to help fill its fiscal gap over the summer.

In a statement, White House spokeswoman Liz Huston said the Trump administration “looks forward to working with the new leadership” at Northwestern.

The Trump administration has cut or threatened to strip funding from numerous US universities, including Harvard, Columbia and Princeton.

On Sept 3, a federal judge ruled that the administration

unlawfully terminated about US$2.2 billion in grants

to Harvard University. REUTERS