The administration of President Donald Trump has frozen $339 million in federal research grants to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), citing violations of civil rights laws. This marks a rare instance in which the federal government has targeted a public university over such allegations.According to a source familiar with the matter, several US federal agencies notified UCLA of the funding suspension, citing concerns related to antisemitism, affirmative action practices, and the university’s handling of women’s sports participation. The move follows a civil rights investigation by the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.Multiple agencies involved in funding freezeAs reported by the Associated Press, the suspended grants include $240 million from the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health. The National Science Foundation also confirmed in a statement that it had informed UCLA of the suspension due to the university’s failure to align with the agency’s priorities.The US Department of Energy stated in its communication that it had found “examples of noncompliance,” criticising UCLA’s admissions practices for allegedly inviting applicants to disclose their race in personal statements and for considering factors such as family income and postal code. It said these steps amounted to “a transparent attempt to engage in race-based admissions in all but name,” which allegedly disadvantaged white, Jewish, and Asian American applicants.Affirmative action in admissions was banned in California in 1996 and later struck down by the US Supreme Court in 2023.Federal government cites antisemitism and women’s sports discriminationThe US Department of Justice concluded that UCLA violated both the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by “acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students,” as reported by the Associated Press.The Department of Energy further alleged that UCLA failed to foster an environment free from antisemitism and discriminated against women by allowing transgender women to compete in women’s athletic programmes.UCLA leadership responds to federal actionUCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk described the decision as “deeply disappointing” and expressed concern about the impact on ongoing research. “With this decision, hundreds of grants may be lost, adversely affecting the lives and life-changing work of UCLA researchers, faculty and staff,” Frenk said in a statement, as quoted by the Associated Press.Frenk also stated that the government’s letter claims antisemitism and bias as reasons for the funding freeze but argued that “this far-reaching penalty of defunding life-saving research does nothing to address any alleged discrimination,” as reported by the Associated Press.UCLA faces related legal challenges and recent settlementEarlier in the week, UCLA reached a $6 million settlement with three Jewish students and a Jewish professor who sued the university for allegedly violating their civil rights. The plaintiffs claimed that in 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters blocked their access to classes and campus areas. UCLA initially argued that it bore no legal responsibility, stating that protesters, not the institution, were responsible for the blockades.According to the Associated Press, the university cooperated with law enforcement to dismantle protest encampments and stated it remains committed to campus safety and inclusivity.Wider implications for US higher educationThe Trump administration has indicated plans to use a recent settlement with Columbia University as a model for future enforcement. Columbia agreed to pay $200 million in penalties and had over $400 million in research grants restored. The Columbia case is expected to serve as a template for actions against other institutions.This development signals a broader shift in the federal government’s approach to enforcing civil rights compliance across US higher education, with financial penalties becoming a central element of accountability.TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
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