WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Northwestern University President Michael Schill announced his resignation Thursday amid an ongoing funding freeze imposed by the Trump administration.

"It is critical that we continue to protect the University's research mission and excellence while preserving academic freedom, integrity, and independence," Schill said in a statement. "I believe now is the right time for new leadership to guide Northwestern into its next chapter."

His resignation came months after the Trump administration froze 790 million U.S. dollars in federal funding for Northwestern University in April, demanding that the university eliminate what it described as antisemitism on campus and dismantle diversity initiatives that favor certain minority groups.

Schill said he will remain in his role until an interim president is in place and assist in his or her transition.

Since January, the Trump administration has frozen federal funding for several leading U.S. universities, including Harvard, Cornell, Northwestern, Columbia, Princeton and Brown.

Harvard University filed a lawsuit against it in April. A federal judge in Boston ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration had illegally frozen Harvard's funds in violation of the university's free speech rights and ordered the money released. ■