Northwestern president announces resignation following tenure marked by White House tension

Education-Northwestern FILE - Northwestern University President Michael Schill testifies during a hearing of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce regarding pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses on Capitol Hill, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Mariam Zuhaib/AP)

Northwestern University President Michael Schill announced Thursday that he will resign, ending a three-year tenure marked by the freeze of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding by the Trump administration and heated criticism from House Republicans over the university's response to campus protests.

In a statement announcing his resignation, Schill acknowledged those challenges directly.

“It is critical that we continue to protect the University’s research mission and excellence while preserving academic freedom, integrity, and independence,” he said.

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