The US federal government has suspended numerous research grants at Princeton University, marking another instance of pressure on elite academic institutions.
Princeton received notification regarding the suspension of multiple federal grants from agencies like the department of energy, Nasa and the defence department, as communicated by university’s president Christopher Eisgruber in a campus message on Tuesday, reported news agency Associated Press.
Whilst the complete reasoning remains unclear, Princeton has affirmed its commitment to legal compliance. The university is amongst numerous institutions facing federal investigations concerning anti-semitism following pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the previous year.
Eisgruber said, “We are committed to fighting anti-semitism and all forms of discrimination, and we will cooperate with the government in combating anti-semitism,” adding that “Princeton will also vigorously defend academic freedom and the due process rights of this university.”
The current US administration’s scrutiny of universities has particularly focused on Ivy League institutions. Columbia University initially faced consequences, with USD 400 million in federal funding withdrawn. The institution subsequently agreed to governmental requirements, including revising student disciplinary procedures and evaluating its middle east studies programme.
Subsequently, the University of Pennsylvania faced a USD 175 million federal funding suspension regarding a transgender swimmer controversy. Harvard University is now under review by a federal anti-semitism task force, examining approximately USD 9 billion in federal grants and contracts.
This situation presents significant challenges for American universities, which depend substantially on federal research funding for their operations.
Eisgruber previously criticised the administration’s approach towards Columbia, describing it as a significant threat to academic institutions. He wrote in the Atlantic magazine on March 19, “The attack on Columbia is a radical threat to scholarly excellence and to America’s leadership in research.”
Princeton was amongst 60 universities that received warnings from the education department in March regarding antisemitism allegations. The department initiated an investigation at Princeton in April 2024, responding to a complaint from Campus Reform’s editor-in-chief about a pro-Palestinian protest allegedly featuring “Intifada” chants.
