The UC has agreed “to engage in dialogue with the federal administration” about its $584 million cut in research grants to UCLA, according to Wednesday statements from UC and UCLA administrators.

Chancellor Julio Frenk announced in a Wednesday email that the federal government has withheld nearly $600 million in research funding to UCLA – marking the first time the university has put an exact dollar amount on the freeze. UC President James Milliken – who began his tenure Aug. 1 – also said in a Wednesday statement that the UC has agreed “to engage in dialogue with the federal administration,” and that the University’s “immediate goal is to see the $584 million in suspended and at-risk federal funding restored.”

“These cuts do nothing to address antisemitism,” Milliken said in the statement. “The announced cuts would be a death knell for innovative work that saves lives, grows our economy, and fortifies our national security. It is in our country’s best interest that funding be restored.”

Frenk first announced that the federal government suspended the grants last Thursday. About 800 grants from three federal agencies – the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Energy – were suspended effective July 30 or 31, according to a Friday email to principal investigators from Roger Wakimoto, the vice chancellor for research and creative activities.

[Related: About 800 NIH, NSF research grants suspended following UCLA federal funding cuts]

“Currently, a total of approximately $584 million in extramural award funding is suspended and at risk,” Frenk said in the email. “If these funds remain suspended, it will be devastating for UCLA and for Americans across the nation.”

A virtual town hall held to provide details on the freeze and answer questions from faculty and staff saw about 3,150 attendees on Monday.

[Related: UCLA holds virtual town hall providing updates on suspended research grants]

The federal government has previously frozen funding to eight private universities – including Columbia University, which had over $400 million in its funds frozen before it agreed to pay about $200 million to restore its funding July 23, and Harvard University, which has $2.6 billion in grants currently frozen. UCLA is the first public university to be explicitly targeted by a grant freeze.

The federal government’s move to freeze UCLA’s grants came following the U.S. Department of Justice’s July 29 letter alleging that the university violated federal civil rights law by allowing antisemitism on campus following Palestinian political party and militant group Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. The DOJ said in the letter that the UC had until Aug. 5 to enter into a voluntary resolution agreement, or it would file a complaint in federal district court by Sept. 2.

[Related: DOJ alleges UCLA violated federal civil rights of Jewish, Israeli students]

The UC Office of the President did not respond to a request for comment regarding if the UC would comply with the DOJ’s deadline.

Wakimoto said in the Monday town hall that the federal government outlined several reasons – including engaging in illegal affirmative action practices, allowing for antisemitism in research environments and “allowing men to participate in women’s sports” – for the suspension of the grants in letters.

Frenk said in the email that UCLA’s administration is “doing everything we can” to “to defend our values and principles.” He added that UCLA is receiving counsel from the UC Board of Regents and UCOP.

“We will continue to hold town halls, convene office hours and share information with you, particularly those who are in the most directly affected areas,” Frenk said in the email.