Northwestern, Columbia, Brown, Cornell and Penn have each struck settlement agreements with the Trump administration to unfreeze federal research funds and end federal investigations, trading millions in penalties and policy commitments for restored grant access. The agreements—publicly touted by Education Secretary Linda McMahon as policy wins—contain conditions on harassment, hiring and admissions and impose monitoring provisions that universities say are limited in scope. The settlements vary in dollar value (for example, Northwestern’s $75 million and Columbia’s $221 million) and in the degree of reporting and oversight required. University presidents argued the pacts protect institutional control over hiring and curricula; the administration framed them as structural reforms. Legal experts and campus leaders warn the deals set precedents that could reshape shared governance, grant compliance, and academic independence across research universities.