The University of Virginia (UVA) last week became the first public university to do so reach a deal With the Trump administration, developments are receiving more favorable terms than other institutions which may show that the winds are blowing in favor of higher education.
UVA avoided the worst of the situation faced by Columbia University, Brown University, and the University of Pennsylvania because it did not need to pay several million dollars, thought it would not be entirely free.
To prevent federal investigation, UVA agreed to follow the administration’s “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination”, which Justice Department says This ensures that “unlawful racial discrimination” will not be used in the university’s hiring, admissions or other processes.
UVA will also submit quarterly reports to the Trump administration to ensure compliance with the agreement. Although the university avoided outside oversight, the federal government has to decide whether what UVA is doing is enough to be in line with the deal.
“It gives the administration ‘sole discretion’ to determine whether, in its view, these laws have been violated and ties future funding to its determination. This puts UVA on a short leash and must be viewed in a larger context in which the administration is trying to unduly interfere with the freedoms schools traditionally have related to admissions, faculty appointments, and the content of their teaching,” the Center for Business & said Michael Posner, director of Human Rights at New York. York University’s Stern School of Business and former Assistant Secretary of State.
The agreement states that UVA will conform itself to the Trump administration’s interpretation 2023 Supreme Court decision On affirmative action as long as it is “consistent with relevant judicial decisions.”
The federal investigation will not be fully ended until UVA follows through on its promise to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at the institution.
Despite quarterly updates, the overall deal is done very few situations Compared to those given to Columbia, Brown and Penn at the beginning of the year.
Each of these universities faces millions of dollars in settlements, with Columbia paying a $200 million fine to the federal government. All universities also agreed to changes in disciplinary policies and other measures.
Although it has not been finalized, reports of an agreement between Harvard and the Trump administration indicate that the university could pay up to $500 million.
UVA faces different circumstances with the Trump administration than many private institutions.
Private institutions were accused of allowing anti-Semitism to run rampant on their campuses following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The issue has been the subject of several congressional hearings, with Republicans seeking larger penalties for institutions they believe are guilty of creating unsafe environments for Jewish students.
For UVA, the problem came down to the alleged use of race in school procedures, which the Trump administration deemed illegal.
“This agreement allows UVA to move forward together while maintaining the principles and independence of the university while maintaining essential research partnerships with the federal government,” said UVA Board of Visitors Rector Rachel Sheridan.
He said, “This has been a challenging time for many institutions of higher education, including UVA. This agreement is the result of steadfast adherence to the same values that have guided generations of UVA leaders and the respect we have earned as stewards of that legacy.”
During months of negotiations, UVA also took steps to garner support, including from President James Ryan stepped down from his post,
In his statement regarding his departure, Ryan emphasized that he saw his options as remaining to fight or potentially cost the university millions of dollars in funding.
He said, “Although there are very important principles at play here, on a very practical level I will fight to keep my job for another year while knowingly and willingly sacrificing others in this community.”
people familiar with the situationtold the New York TimesRyan’s resignation earlier this week helped UVA secure a better deal.
UVA officials are also crediting new interim President Paul Mahoney for this.
“President Mahoney has navigated a complex federal landscape with remarkable skill and care,” said Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Brie Gertler. “I am grateful for his thoughtful leadership during this important process.”
Some wonder whether the administration is losing some leverage with higher education institutions after recent missteps.
The most recent step of the Trump administration was College compact sent to nine universitiesThat includes UVA, which offered preferential funding treatment in exchange for certain policy changes the federal government wants to see in higher education.
Seven universities, including UVA, rejected the deal outright, although UVA cited various concerns such as how funding should be based on merit and not a deal with the federal government.
“I guess, just putting it in the context of this latest effort by Trump [Secretary of Education] “After Linda McMahon asked universities to sign on to this agreement, we’re seeing universities push back and say, ‘We’re not going to get involved in this kind of thing,'” said Jonathan Baker, an associate professor of educational leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“If this is a battle between the federal government and institutions of higher education, the momentum is shifting toward the institutions,” he said.
