The University of Virginia, facing immense pressure from the White House, struck a deal with the Trump administration on Wednesday that removed, at least temporarily, the threat of a federal investigation.
The Justice Department announced the deal. It was the first time a public university had cut a far-reaching agreement with the Trump administration, which is carrying out an extraordinary campaign to shift the ideological tilt of the higher education system.
But the deal, which avoids the hefty fines agreed to by some private, Ivy League colleges, was viewed as something of a victory among leaders of the Charlottesville, Va.-based campus. It was signed one week after Paul Mahoney, the school’s interim president, rejected a White House offer of preferential treatment for research funding.
The University of Virginia’s deal was less onerous than other agreements in large part because James E. Ryan had resigned as president of the university in June, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The administration viewed Mr. Ryan as an obstacle in its bid to root out policies focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.
The government has stripped billions of dollars from elite universities, including Harvard, which has been the target of investigations from multiple federal agencies. Mr. Ryan was the first university leader to be pushed out because of administration pressure.
Rachel Sheridan, who leads the state board that oversees the college, said the agreement preserved the university’s autonomy while maintaining its partnership with the government for research funding.
“This has been a challenging time for many institutions in higher education, including U.Va.,” Ms. Sheridan said. “The agreement results from steadfast adherence to the same values that have guided generations of U.Va.’s leaders and that we have honored as stewards of that legacy.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Virginia will adhere to the administration’s interpretation of a 2023 Supreme Court decision that ended explicit consideration of race in admissions to higher education. Attorney General Pam Bondi laid out in a memo in July how that ruling, along with federal civil rights law, should be applied to schools receiving federal funding.
Legal experts and higher education officials have argued that schools can still consider race as part of a holistic review of a student’s application. But the Trump administration has adopted a broader view, suggesting that race cannot be considered at all, to justify its attacks on policies and programs that promote racial diversity.
The school will provide quarterly updates to the Justice Department on its compliance with the agreement, avoiding the use of an independent monitor, which some universities have viewed as a potential infringement on academic freedom. In return, the Justice Department will pause investigations into the university’s admissions policies and other civil rights concerns.
The federal investigations have targeted policies that the administration views as discriminatory against white and Asian students and unfairly favoring Black students.
“This notable agreement with the University of Virginia will protect students and faculty from unlawful discrimination, ensuring that equal opportunity and fairness are restored,” Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, said in a statement. “We appreciate the progress that the university has made in combating antisemitism and racial bias, and other American universities should be on alert that the Justice Department will ensure that our federal civil rights laws are enforced for every American, without exception.”
This is the fourth university to strike an agreement with the administration. Brown University committed to spending $50 million over 10 years on work force programs. Columbia agreed to a $200 million fine, as well as a $21 million contribution to a claims fund. The University of Pennsylvania signed an agreement that did not include a financial component. The administration has been unable to reach terms with its biggest target, Harvard, despite months of negotiations.
The University of Virginia has been considered among the top five public universities for more than two decades, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings, and maintained that position during Mr. Ryan’s tenure. This year, the Princeton Review ranked the university as the second-best value among all public colleges. Last year, Time magazine ranked the college as the fourth-best public school at producing future leaders.
Stephanie Saul and Devlin Barrett contributed reporting.
Michael C. Bender is a Times correspondent in Washington.
Michael S. Schmidt is an investigative reporter for The Times covering Washington. His work focuses on tracking and explaining high-profile federal investigations.
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