UCLA says federal government has suspended $584 million in "groundbreaking" research funds

UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk updated the campus community that the federal government has suspended $584 million in "groundbreaking" research funds, following claims of "antisemitism."

Frenk released a letter on Wednesday, saying the university has been able to calculate an estimate of how much money will be impacted after the U.S. Department of Justice notified the university it would be losing funding for being in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for "creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students."

Frenk described the update as a "loss for Americans across the nation whose work, health and future depend on our groundbreaking research and scholarship."

Frenk said that one of the things that makes UCLA a great place is its ability to translate discoveries into action.

Frenk's examples of this seen in research:

• Through their planetary scientists, who are supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA, they are searching for asteroids and other objects in space that could threaten Earth.
• The Valley Fever Center, which is funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), and its work to better understand and treat the deadly disease

CBS Los Angeles has reached out to the university for a detailed breakdown of which programs and initiatives will be impacted by the suspension.

"We are doing everything we can to protect the interests of faculty, students and staff — and to defend our values and principles," Frenk said.

On July 29, the DOJ released a statement claiming the university failed to "adequately" respond to complaints from Jewish and Israeli students over alleged "offensive harassment and abuse" they faced from Oct. 7, 2023, to the present.

The DOJ added that it found "concerning evidence of systemic anti-Semitism at UCLA," and it demanded accountability.

The NSF also released a statement saying it would be suspending awards to the university because "they are not in alignment with current NSF priorities and/or programmatic goals."

In response to the government's claims, Frenk said the university has been committed to fighting antisemitism on its campus. Frenk cited implementing new policies to manage protests, creating a new Office of Campus and Community Safety and launching an Initiative to Combat Antisemitism as examples of its work. 

Frenk said his office will continue to keep faculty and staff updated, especially those in the most directly affected areas.

"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you for your resilience and how much you care about your fellow Bruins," Frenk said. "UCLA has faced defining moments before, and we get through them — together."

University of California President James B. Milliken responded to the U.S. Department of Justice's claims regarding Title VI and Title VII investigations at UCLA, saying he has agreed to engage in dialogue with the federal administration.