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Coach Tracy Fuchs extends contract
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NORTHWESTERN FUNDING FROZEN The White House reportedly freezes $790 million in federal funding for NU
Photo courtesy of Joshua Sukoff
The funding freeze comes amid investigations by the Department of Education and Department of Justice into Northwestern.
By JERRY WU, LEAH SCHROEDER, ISAIAH STEINBERG, DAVID SAMSON and LILY OGBURN
daily senior staffers @jerrwu / @lmschroeder_ / @isaiahstei27 @lilyogburn
The Trump administration froze $790 million in federal funding for Northwestern, The New York Times first reported Tuesday. The freeze comes amid recent attacks on some of the nation’s elite universities by the Trump administration, with more than $3.3 billion in federal funding having been paused or completely cut
thus far. In an email to the NU community around two hours after the news broke, University President Michael Schill said the federal government has not notified the University of the freeze. Instead, NU was “notified by members of the media.” Schill wrote in the email that the administration will provide further information to those affected by the freeze and the NU community “as the implications of these actions become clearer.” The administration also froze more than $1 billion in funding for Cornell University Tuesday, according to The New York Times. NU and Cornell join universities like Brown
University, Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University, which have all been affected by threats to funding over the past several weeks. The pause primarily targets grants and contracts from the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education and Health and Human Services, according to officials that The Times spoke to. Many of these universities are also undergoing federal civil rights investigations. NU is currently being investigated by the Education Department and the Department of Justice. NU is one of 10 universities that the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism will be
visiting. According to a Feb. 28 news release, the visit is in response to allegations that the universities “may have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty members from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law.” The task force will meet with university leadership, students, staff, local law enforcement and community members to “consider whether remedial action is warranted.” NU is one of five universities that the Education Department announced it would investigate as a result of reported “widespread antisemitic
» See FUNDING, page 11
Thousands protest Football players reach settlement Trump and Musk with Northwestern in hazing case Residents rally in Evanston, Chicago By EMMA RICHMAN and MAYA HEYMAN
the daily northwestern @emmarichman_ /@mayaheyman
Patricia Acha (Communication ’83) didn’t think she’d find herself in Chicago on Saturday protesting President Donald Trump’s policies — at least, not again. “The first term, I protested at every single protest,” Acha said. “I have a library of these signs in my kitchen, and I was just about ready to recycle them, and then this happens.” An Evanston resident and lawyer, Acha said she’s grown concerned for the future of American democracy
Recycle Me
since the beginning of Trump’s second term. That’s what brought her to the “Hands Off !” rally at Daley Plaza. On Saturday, Acha and hundreds of Evanston residents rallied in Evanston and Chicago for the national Hands Off ! day of action. Over 1,200 demonstrations took place around the country in response to Trump and Elon Musk’s “all-out assault on our government, our economy and our basic rights,” according to the Hands Off ! website. Among the chief concerns of the rallies were the recent immigration crackdowns, federal worker layoffs
» See HANDS OFF, page 11
Fitzgerald suit remains unresolved, trial set for November By NICOLE MARKUS and ISAIAH STEINBERG
daily senior staffers @nicolejmarkus / @isaiahstei27
Northwestern reached a settlement with a group of student plaintiffs in their claims of personal injury against the University, among other defendants, relating to allegations of hazing on the football team. The settlement comes nearly two years after University President Michael Schill terminated former football coach Pat Fitzgerald and instituted several safeguards after the allegations of hazing and sexual abuse were made public. In lawsuits, players claimed they were
subjected to racial discrimination, hazing, physical abuse and retaliation. The students and University engaged in a “mediation process” which resulted in the settlement, a University spokesperson told The Daily. The settlement documentation is still being finalized, according to the spokesperson. Attorneys for the plaintiffs told The Daily the terms of the settlement are confidential. “We intend to continue to work through the remaining outstanding issues to finalize a settlement that will hopefully allow both sides to move forward in a positive way,” they wrote in a statement. The settlement did not resolve Fitzgerald’s breach of contract suit against NU and Schill.
“While the settlement resolves the claims brought by the players, Coach Fitzgerald’s claims against Northwestern remain. He continues to assert that Northwestern illegally terminated his employment, violated an oral contract and defamed him, causing significant damage to his sterling reputation,” Dan K. Webb and Matthew R. Carter, Fitzgerald’s counsel, said in a statement. A trial date for Fitzgerald’s case has been set for Nov. 3, according to Webb and Carter’s statement. This is a developing story that will be updated with more details as they are available. i.steinberg@dailynorthwestern.com nicolemarkus2025@u.northwestern.edu
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