Trump administration sharpens framework for university funding settlements

The latest: Brown University on Wednesday reached an agreement with the administration to restore funding.

• The deal doesn't include payments to the federal government or fines.
• Brown agreed to award $50 million in grants over 10 years to workforce development organizations in Rhode Island.

Zoom out: Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania had previously reached settlements — creating the administration's roadmap for future agreements.

• Columbia agreed to pay $221 million, among other pledges.
• Penn didn't make any payments but promised its athletic policies on gender would align with the Trump administration's interpretations of Title IX.

What they're saying: Education Secretary Linda McMahon said she hoped the Columbia deal would become the "template" for agreements with other universities around the country.

• "We're already seeing other universities that are taking these measures before investigation or before our coming in to talk to them," she said in a NewsNation interview earlier this month.

Behind the scenes: The universities reaching settlements are "cutting their losses and ensuring their future," Donna E. Shalala, former President Clinton's health secretary, told the New York Times.

• "Two hundred million dollars is not a lot of money when you have billions at stake, and any corporate person will tell you that," Shalala, who has also led four schools, said.

Harvard signaled it would spend as much as $500 million to end its dispute with the White House, the New York Times reported.

• The university had resisted demands from the administration, but if this deal is reached, it would be President Trump's largest settlement to date.

Cornell is likely to be one of the next schools to settle with the administration, Bloomberg reported. A joint draft has been sent around but not yet signed.

• The potential agreement is expected to be similar to Trump's with Columbia, per the Cornell Sun.

At Northwestern, faculty have urged university administration not to reach a deal with Trump.

• "The way forward is to not give in to the lawlessness of the Trump administration — it is to stand up for American institutions of higher education," a faculty group wrote in a Daily Northwestern letter to the editor.
• The university announced on Tuesday it would cut 425 positions — roughly 5% of its staff budget — to ensure long-term financial stability.

What we're watching: The Trump administration also suspended funding for Princeton, Duke and the University of Virginia over DEI practices or allegations of discrimination.

• About 60 colleges are under investigation for diversity policies and could face similar threats.

University administrators and the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Go deeper: Brown University and Trump administration strike deal to restore funding