Home World Northwestern University president quit amid Trump’s forced layoffs | American universities

Northwestern University president quit amid Trump’s forced layoffs | American universities

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Northwestern University president said Thursday he was resigning in a turbulent period with Republican lawmakers and steep federal funding cuts. Trump administration This is forced extensive layoffs.

Michael H Schill, who led the agency for three years, has been under scrutiny in this year’s conservative circle. this Trump administration Nearly $800 million in research funding was cut after Republicans continued criticism.

“It has been my honor to be the president of Northwestern University for the past three years,” Shiel wrote. In a message To students, faculty and staff. “At that time, our community made significant progress while facing extraordinary challenges at the same time. Together, we made decisions to strengthen the agency and help maintain its future.”

The university’s handling of protests against the Gaza war on campus has brought Schill to conservatives’ attacks. During last year’s congressional hearing, Republicans accused the Northwest of failing to fully address anti-Semitism, and some Jewish advocacy groups even asked him to resign.

Schill acknowledged the difficulties in his resignation statement, pointing to the freeze of the federal research fund and other challenges.

“As I reflect on the progress we have made and the progress ahead, I believe that now is the right time for the new leader to lead the Northwest to the next chapter,” he said. “So, I have decided to consult with the leadership of the board that I will resign from the president’s resignation.”

Fund freeze announced in April was a major financial blow that led to the Northwest’s announcement of elimination About 425 jobs In July, about half are unfilled positions. Management acknowledged that layoffs were “a drastic step” and “the most painful measure we have to take.”

Schill’s departure comes as part of a broader Republican campaign against elite universities, as part of an effort to respond to student protests over the Gaza conflict. Since then, Republican lawmakers and Trump officials have escalated pressure on higher education institutions, accusing them of failing Jewish students.

Governments increasingly rely on freezing federal research funds, sometimes billions of dollars, to push universities towards policy preferences. These actions force several institutions Arrival at the settlement Restore funds with the Trump administration.

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