After just three years at the helm, Michael Schill is resigning from his post as the president of Northwestern University.

The move, originally reported by the New York Times, comes amid mounting political pressure and significant cuts to Northwestern's federal funding. The university announced in July that it planned to cut 425 jobs in order to deal with the financial challenges.

"Over the past three years, it has been my profound honor to serve as president of Northwestern University," Schill said in a press release on Thursday. "In that time, our community has made significant progress while simultaneously facing extraordinary challenges. Together, we have made decisions that strengthened the institution and helped safeguard its future."

Schill, the 17th president at NU, did not name an interim successor in his announcement. That decision is made by the university's Board of Trustees.

"As I reflect on the progress we have made and what lies ahead, I believe now is the right time for new leadership to guide Northwestern into its next chapter," Schill continued. "Therefore, I have decided, in consultation with the leadership of the Board of Trustees, that I will step down as President."

Schill's three-year tenure is the shortest by a Northwestern president since Lynn Hough, the university's ninth president, who served from 1919 to 1920.

Since arriving in Evanston from the University of Oregon in 2022, Schill has presided over three National Championship-winning teams. Northwestern's lacrosse team won its eighth title in 2023, while the Wildcats' field hockey team clinched its second championship last fall and the women's golf program won its first crown in the spring.

Schill was also responsible for the termination of longtime head football coach Pat Fitzgerald during July of 2023. In the wake of an investigation into hazing practices on Northwestern's football team, Schill initially gave Fitzgerald a two-week suspension. Following further reporting that detailed hazing specifics and resulted in major public backlash, Schill reversed course and fired Fitzgerald outright.

Fitzgerald sued the university for wrongful termination, defamation and emotional distress, but reached a settlement with Northwestern on August 21. The lawsuit's discovery process revealed that Fitzgerald did not condone or direct hazing and that no students had reported claims of hazing to the head football coach, according to a statement from the university.

Over 17 years as the head coach at Northwestern, Fitzgerald was the all-time program leader in wins. The former All-Big Ten linebacker went 5-5 over 10 bowl game appearances, including wins in his last four.

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