A staggering $757,000 has been spent into lobbying efforts last quarter by Northwestern University as the prestigious institution struggles to navigate federal investigations into campus antisemitism.
Northwestern began increasing its lobbying expenditures in 2024 as elite institutions faced mounting scrutiny over campus antisemitism. Now facing $790 million in federal funding freeze from the Trump administration, Northwestern’s in-house lobbying expenses have now exceeded $1 million, more than the previous two years combined, with a single-quarter high of $517,000.
However, records reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon reveal Northwestern’s lobbying focuses primarily on appropriations legislation instead of being put to meaningful actions to stem the tide of antisemitism. Though the administration has taken some steps, including mandatory discrimination prevention training and confronting Jewish Voice for Peace over its policy against Zionist Jews, these efforts fell short when vandals defaced Kresge Hall with Hamas symbols last month.
“Instead of spending more than half a million on lobbying in Washington, I wish to see Northwestern enforce its First Amendment and Title VI protections for its students on its own campus—especially for Jewish students,” Northwestern senior and College Republicans president Jeanine Yuen tells the Beacon.
Meanwhile, the university’s expensive lobbying blitz appears to have gained little traction in Washington. The House Committee on Education and Workforce continues pressing for accountability from Northwestern President Michael Schill, while the Trump administration has launched a second probe into alleged discrimination against Jewish students on campus.
Source link
