By Brendan O’Brien

People walk on the campus of Northwestern University, a day after a U.S. official said $790 million in federal funding has been frozen for the University while it investigates the school over civil rights violationsm in Evanston, Illinois U.S. April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Vincent Alban/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

CHICAGO, Sept 4 (Reuters) – The president of Northwestern University, a prestigious school in suburban Chicago, announced on Thursday that he would resign as the institution deals with budget issues stemming from cuts in federal funding by the Trump administration.

President Michael Schill, who has led the university in Evanston, Illinois, for three years, said in a statement that it was the “right time” for new leadership to guide Northwestern into the future and that he would remain in place until an interim president is named.

“I … recognize that difficult problems remain, particularly at the federal level,” he said. “It is critical that we continue to protect the University’s research mission and excellence while preserving academic freedom, integrity, and independence.”

In April, President Donald Trump’s administration froze nearly $800 million in research funding for Northwestern, after Republicans accused the university of not doing enough to address antisemitism during campus protests against the Gaza war.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Liz Huston said the Trump administration “looks forward to working with the new leadership” at Northwestern.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Suggested Topics:

Read Next

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck southeastern Afghanistan on Thursday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences said, the third tremor in the same region since Sunday, when one of the country’s deadliest quakes in years killed more than 2,200 people.

Site Index

About Reuters

Stay Informed

Information you can trust

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world’s media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.

Read More