Northwestern University's president Michael Schill will step down amid a fight with the Trump administration over federal research funding.
In an announcement on its website, Northwestern says Schill is stepping down after holding the post for three years. He was the university's 17th president.
“As I reflect on the progress we have made and what lies ahead, I believe now is the right time for new leadership to guide Northwestern into its next chapter,” Schill said. “Therefore, I have decided, in consultation with the leadership of the Board of Trustees, that I will step down as President.”
Schill will stay in his position until an interim president is appointed and brought up to speed, Northwestern said.
Schill's departure comes as the university faces a pause in some $750 million in research funds from the federal government. Unnamed U.S. officials speaking to the New York Times in April said the government suspended the payments as it investigates alleged antisemitism and racial discrimination at the school.
In announcing his resignation, Schill said the funding freeze was an ongoing challenge.
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The Trump administration has targeted research funds at multiple elite colleges, freezing nearly $6 billion in grants as it alleges antisemitism, diversity violations and illegal discrimination related to transgender policies.
Schools targeted include the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and most recently Harvard University, where a federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration's funding freeze was illegal retaliation.
Princeton University, Harvard, Duke, and Stanford have also instituted hiring freezes as they face uncertainties about their federal funding.
The administration claimed a victory on Thursday in a statement to CNN:
"The Trump Administration looks forward to working with the new leadership, and we hope they seize this opportunity to Make Northwestern Great Again," a White House spokesperson said.
