The University of Virginia reached a settlement with the Justice Department and the White House to resolve civil-rights investigations into its admissions and hiring practices. The deal follows months of federal pressure that led to the university president’s resignation and mirrors accords at other major institutions. University leaders agreed to specific policy changes and oversight steps in exchange for restoration of suspended federal funding. Justice Department officials announced the terms; UVA’s concessions are the latest in a string of high-profile resolutions involving elite public and private universities. The settlement signals a new, transactional posture in federal–university relations: compliance with federal conditions now can be tied directly to funding and enforcement outcomes. For higher education leaders and trustees, the agreement raises governance and precedent issues: how much institutional autonomy universities can preserve when negotiating to restore federal grants, research dollars and student aid.