Brown University Reaches $50 Million Settlement With White House Over Funds Restoration

Last Updated:July 31, 2025, 19:16 IST

The deal comes shortly after similar settlements were reached by Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Brown University’s settlement will enable it to restore previously frozen medical and health sciences funding

Brown University has become the third Ivy League institution to reach a settlement agreement with the Trump administration in order to restore access to its federal funding. The university confirmed on Wednesday, July 30, that it has finalised a $50 million settlement with the White House.

The deal comes shortly after similar settlements were reached by Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania, both of which were also investigated over alleged failures to curb antisemitism during campus protests. With this move, Brown joins a growing list of elite universities conceding to the Trump administration’s demands in exchange for continued access to federal funds.

In recent days, it was reported that Harvard University is also considering a similar course of action, potentially agreeing to a $500 million payment in order to restore access to federal funding estimated at $2 billion.

Brown University has voluntarily agreed to the settlement, which will enable it to restore previously frozen medical and health sciences funding. As part of the agreement, the university has also pledged compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws.

The $50 million commitment, to be paid over a period of 10 years, will be directed towards state workforce development organisations that operate in alignment with anti-discrimination legislation.

US Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed the development in an official statement, saying, “Brown has committed to proactive measures to protect Jewish students and combat antisemitism on campus." McMahon further stated that the university had previously “failed in controlling antisemitism and discrimination" but praised the new agreement as a step towards reversing what she described as the “woke-capture" of American higher education institutions.

Following the settlement, Brown University will regain access to funding for active federal research grants. In response, University President Christina Paxton said, “We applaud the agreement’s unequivocal assertion that the agreement does not give the government the ‘authority to dictate Brown’s curriculum or the content of academic speech.’"

Brown’s federal funding, estimated at $500 million, was frozen in March of this year. The university was forced to take out a $300 million loan in April, followed by another $500 million in July, to maintain operations. Despite the disruption, university officials stated they were never given a specific reason for the suspension of funding.

With the settlement in place, Brown will not only regain access to previously frozen funds but will also be eligible to compete for new federal grants and contracts.

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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