Northwestern University agreed to a $75 million settlement and policy concessions to regain access to roughly $790 million in frozen federal research funding. Interim President Henry Bienen framed the pact as necessary to restore laboratories and avoid prolonged litigation; the settlement also requires detailed admissions reporting and curbs on diversity statements. The deal closes multiple federal investigations and follows similar agreements at Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Penn and UVA. Critics accuse universities of conceding to government overreach; Harvard has instead pursued litigation and won a preliminary court victory. The development signals a new model for federal enforcement of campus conduct and compliance tied to research dollars.