Brown University has finalized an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education resolving three federal investigations — two involving alleged antisemitism and one focused on admissions discrimination.
The deal restores access to suspended federal research funding and includes a $50 million payment to workforce development organizations in Rhode Island over the next decade.
The settlement commits the Ivy League university to several measures aimed at addressing antisemitism on its Providence campus, including:
- Renewing academic partnerships with Israeli institutions.
- Encouraging applicants from Jewish day schools.
- Hiring an independent organization — jointly selected with the government — to conduct a survey on the Jewish campus climate by the end of the year.
The agreement follows national scrutiny of Brown’s handling of anti-Israel protests during the 2023–2024 academic year. The university drew criticism after negotiating with student activists who had established an encampment demanding divestment from Israel-linked companies. In exchange for dismantling the encampment, Brown agreed to hold a vote on the matter — though its governing board ultimately rejected the proposal. For many Jewish students, the episode deepened a sense of exclusion and institutional indifference.
Brown President Christina Paxson defended the agreement as a way to resolve federal pressure without compromising the university’s core values. “We stand solidly behind our commitment to protect all members of our community from harassment and discrimination,” she wrote in a letter — which can be read in full HERE — to the Brown community.
While the settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing, it is part of a growing series of high-profile federal agreements with major universities. Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million and accept a federal monitor, while UCLA reached a $6.13 million settlement and pledged sweeping corrective measures.
These deals followed allegations that the universities allowed antisemitic harassment and discrimination to escalate during last year’s anti-Israel protests. The Trump administration has increasingly used financial leverage to compel institutional reforms across higher education.
Beyond its antisemitism provisions, the Brown agreement requires the university to eliminate any consideration of race in admissions decisions, including indirect factors such as personal essays or diversity statements. Brown must also adopt the federal government’s definitions of “male” and “female” for reporting purposes, and disclose detailed admissions data for federal audit.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon called the deal a milestone in the administration’s broader campaign. “The Trump administration is dismantling the ideological capture of America’s universities,” she said.
These federal settlements mark a turning point — but the real test will be whether universities like Brown, Columbia, and UCLA deliver on their promises. What matters now is whether Jewish students see real change where it counts: in their day-to-day campus lives.
