“It’s basically the template,” he said of the Columbia deal. “Schools that have the capacity to pay $200 million can do that. They could easily dial that amount up or down. The fine is the least consequential part. It’s all the other details, which give the government unprecedented control over a private university.”

The complex settlement allowed both sides to claim victory. It gives the university access to federal funds that had been frozen, and restores some terminated contracts.

Talks in Washington. An expert on negotiation. A balancing act. The university chose cooperation over litigation, a strategy both pilloried and praised.