Copyright The New York Times
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. The New York Times reported on Tuesday that an agreement to end the monthslong standoff was imminent. The deal was expected to be less costly than those signed by some private, Ivy League colleges, in large part because James E. Ryan had resigned as president of the university in June. 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 by the administration. 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. This is a developing story and will be updated.
