On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Education, and Department of Health and Human Services jointly announced an agreement with Cornell University aimed at protecting students from discrimination based on race, gender, or nationality, and promoting the development of American agriculture and rural communities.
According to a fact sheet released by the White House, Cornell University will gradually pay the U.S. government $30 million over the next three years and invest an additional $30 million to support agricultural and rural research projects in the United States. The focus will be on utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technology to assist farmers in reducing costs and increasing production efficiency.
The agreement stipulates that Cornell must fully comply with federal civil rights laws, ceasing all illegal racial discrimination related to admissions or campus activities. The university must provide relevant data for government review to ensure the admissions system complies with the principle of “merit-based” and conduct annual campus climate surveys, with a focus on examining the presence of anti-Semitism on campus and security measures.
Cornell also commits to incorporating the “Guiding Principles for Grant Recipients Regarding Anti-Discrimination” released by the Department of Justice in July into its curriculum for faculty and students. The university president must personally sign compliance statements each quarter, and the agreement is effective until the end of 2028.
Following the effectiveness of the agreement, the federal government will restore over $250 million in frozen grants and eligibility for research awards to Cornell, and end civil rights and admissions investigations against the university. However, an investigation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act regarding campus employment discrimination is still ongoing.
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff stated that the agreement “restored both the cooperative relationship between the university and the government and upheld academic freedom and institutional autonomy,” emphasizing that the university was not found to be in violation of the law.
The White House issued a statement on the same day, describing the case as a “historic victory for President Trump in rebuilding fairness and accountability in higher education.” Through this settlement, Cornell will be required to return to merit-based admissions and academic excellence principles and provide a safe and equitable learning environment for all students.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi pointed out in the statement that all federally funded colleges and universities must “fully comply with civil rights laws” to prevent “harmful diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies” from leading to reverse discrimination.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the agreement “a significant victory for reshaping the excellence of American higher education,” guiding universities back towards the principles of “merit, rigor, and truth.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. highlighted that the agreement strengthens institutional safeguards against anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination and underscored that the Trump administration is “dismantling the ability of elite universities to treat students differently based on religion or race.”
This agreement represents the latest outcome of the Trump administration’s push for higher education reform. The White House stated that the government has taken accountability actions against prestigious universities such as Harvard, Columbia, Brown, and Cornell, citing reasons including admissions and employment discrimination, inadequate handling of anti-Semitic incidents, and misuse of taxpayer funds.
Previously, Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million, Brown University paid $50 million as part of settlement funds for related charges. The Trump administration also reached an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania, requiring it to prohibit biological males from participating in women’s sports and restore female athlete records.
In his statement, Trump stated that these actions “hold elite universities accountable, ensuring they uphold fairness, merit, and American values.”