Trump administration reaches agreement with UVA to temporarily halt federal investigations
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with the University of Virginia (UVA), the first public university, to pause federal investigations and ensure future funding.
The University of Virginia has agreed to adhere to the department’s “Guidelines for Recipients of Federal Funding Concerning Unlawful Discrimination,” which the Justice Department says ensures the university does not “engage in unlawful racial discrimination” in hiring, admissions or other operations.
Through 2028, UVA will provide data and information, approved by the university’s president, to demonstrate the institution’s compliance with the agreement.
The agreement temporarily halts federal investigations but does not completely end them until the University of Virginia completes reforms it has planned to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs on campus.
“This notable agreement with the University of Virginia will protect students and faculty from unlawful discrimination, ensuring the restoration of equal opportunity and justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
“We appreciate the progress the university has made in combating anti-Semitism and racial bias, and other American universities should stand on guard that the Department of Justice will ensure that our federal civil rights laws are enforced on every American, without exception,” Dillon added in her statement.
The press release announcing the deal also notes that the Trump administration will allow UVA to be eligible for future government grants and awards.
“This agreement allows UVA to move forward together, upholding the principles and independence of the university while maintaining an essential research partnership with the federal government,” UVA Board of Visitors Chair Rachel Sheridan said in a statement. “This has been a challenging time for many institutions of higher education, including the University of Virginia. The agreement results from an unwavering commitment to the same values that have guided generations of University of Virginia leaders and that we honor as stewards of this legacy.”
This is the first agreement with a public institution, after Columbia University and Brown University struck tougher deals earlier in the year that prompted them to waive millions of dollars in payments and change other policies such as disciplinary processes.
The University of Virginia agreement ends months of negotiations, which earlier this year resulted in the ouster of the university’s former president.
It also comes after the University of Virginia rejected the Trump administration’s college charter, which gave some institutions the opportunity to get preferential treatment in funding awards if they made certain policy changes at their school.
Updated at 5:15 PM EST
