Ivy League Schools Paid Hefty Settlements to Trump: Could UCLA Be the Next Target?
In a significant turn of events, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) finds itself embroiled in a conflict with the Trump administration over allegations of antisemitism and discriminatory admissions practices. The administration has frozen more than $300 million in National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and other federal agency-funded research at UCLA, citing violations of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The dispute began when the federal government accused UCLA of allowing antisemitism on campus and engaging in discriminatory admissions practices involving race. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division found that UCLA acted with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students, including incidents of pro-Palestinian protesters blocking Jewish students during demonstrations. Additionally, there were concerns about the university’s consideration of race and other factors like family income and postal codes in admissions, allegedly conflicting with federal civil rights requirements.
Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed concern about the freeze on critical research funding for UCLA. In a statement, he stated that it makes the country less safe and could harm American health and safety. UCLA leaders, including Chancellor Julio Frenk and systemwide president James B. Milliken, have declined interviews on what next steps UCLA might take. Governor Newsom, however, has said he is "reviewing" the Justice Department’s findings and that UC would be "responsive." He did not respond specifically to a question about whether UC would settle with Trump.
UCLA leaders have just days to decide whether to settle or go to court. A systemwide agreement between UC and the federal government could provide the government with assurances that the regents are making changes across the board. The university has a long-standing reputation as a standard-bearer, including in academic and protest freedoms.
The cuts to UCLA's federal funding and contracts are estimated to be at least $200 million, with the total number being greater than $300 million - more than a quarter of UCLA's $1.1 billion in annual federal funding and contracts. The Trump administration's actions follow similar moves at other universities, with settlements requiring schools to pay fines and restore grants. In a separate event, Columbia University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore federal funding.
The Department of Justice may sue UCLA by September 2 if no agreement is reached. The DOJ issued a notice to UCLA and a warning of a pending lawsuit, stating that the campus violated Jewish student civil rights last year during a pro-Palestinian encampment. The National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and other federal agencies have suspended hundreds of grants to UCLA researchers, citing discrimination in admissions and failure to promote a research environment free of antisemitism.
Dozens of public campuses across the U.S. are under investigation or pressure from the White House to atone for alleged wrongdoing to Jewish students or to change admissions, scholarship programs, and protest rules. The U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, has said that UCLA would pay a "heavy price" for acting with "deliberate indifference" to the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students who complained of antisemitic incidents.
This dispute reflects broader tensions over civil rights enforcement, free speech, campus politics, and federal funding priorities in higher education during the Trump administration. UCLA officials have decried the freeze as a major loss for research and students, while the Trump administration maintains that UCLA must address the allegations of discrimination to regain federal funding. The outcome of this conflict could set a precedent for future cases involving civil rights and higher education.
[1] The Washington Post [2] The New York Times [3] Los Angeles Times [4] The Hill [5] The Chronicle of Higher Education
- The ongoing conflict between UCLA and the Trump administration over allegations of antisemitism and discriminatory admissions practices has drawn attention from general news outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times.
- In response to the dispute, Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed concerns about the freeze on critical research funding for UCLA, stating that it could harm American health and safety.
- The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is known for its reputation as a standard-bearer in academic and protest freedoms, but its stance on civil rights and free speech has been questioned by the federal government.
- The Trump administration maintains that UCLA must address the allegations of discrimination to regain federal funding, a stance that mirrors its approach toward other universities under investigation for similar wrongdoings.
- The Department of Justice may sue UCLA by September 2 if no agreement is reached, a move that could have significant implications for the university's research, education, and self-development.
- In recent years, sports organizations like the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and other federal agencies have also been contending with allegations of discrimination, particularly within research environments.
- The California government, including governor Gavin Newsom, has taken a proactive role in the dispute, with reports suggesting that UC would be "responsive" to the Justice Department’s findings and that the university might choose to settle or go to court.
- The outcome of the conflict between UCLA and the federal government could have far-reaching effects, not just for the institution but also for the broader scientific community, as well as the environment, law, education, and health sectors in Los Angeles and beyond.
