Northwestern University President Michael Schill announced his resignation on Thursday, September 4, amidst the university’s efforts to address budget issues resulting from federal funding cuts under the Trump administration.
In his resignation statement posted on the Northwestern University official website, Schill expressed, “As I reflect on the progress we have made and the challenges that lie ahead, I believe now is the right time for new leadership to guide Northwestern University into its next chapter. Therefore, after consultation with the Board leadership, I have decided to step down from the position of president.”
Schill will remain in his position temporarily until a new interim president is appointed by the Board to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.
He also mentioned that he will continue to collaborate with the Board to seek the restoration of federal funding frozen by the Trump administration.
Located in the suburbs of Chicago, Northwestern University saw Schill as its 17th president, serving for nearly three years. Last year, he testified before Congress on the issue of anti-Semitism on campus and faced questioning from congressional members regarding an agreement he reached with pro-Palestinian protesters, with House Republicans accusing him of making inappropriate concessions to defuse tensions and undermining his role as university president.
Last month, Schill once again traveled to Washington D.C. to attend a closed-door hearing, where Chairman Tim Walberg of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce stated that despite Northwestern University’s claims of taking action, the committee did not see satisfactory progress from the university in combating anti-Semitism.
Prior to his congressional testimony last year, three Northwestern University students sued the institution, accusing the school of allowing pro-Palestinian protesters to harass Jewish students.
In April of this year, the Trump administration froze $790 million in federal funding to the university, a penalty based on previous allegations of the university’s handling of anti-Semitism issues. The frozen funds involved allocations from agencies such as the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
In late July, Northwestern University announced plans to lay off over 400 staff members due to funding restrictions, resulting in approximately 5% in cost savings from the university’s labor expenses, impacting research projects in fields such as medicine and engineering.
Last month, Schill penned a letter to the university’s students and staff, stating that the past few months have been one of the most challenging periods in Northwestern University’s 174-year history.