On March 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced 52 investigations into universities for the alleged use of racial preferences and stereotypes in potential violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The announcement follows a February 14, 2025 “Dear Colleague” letter from the Department of Education, which asserted that “American educational institutions have discriminated against students on the basis of race . . . . [and] embrace[d] . . . pervasive and repugnant race-based preferences . . . throughout every facet of academia.”
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The March 14 announcement explains that the Department of Education has “opened investigations into 45 universities under Title VI” for “allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.” According to the Department of Education, these schools allegedly “violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964) by partnering with ‘The Ph.D. Project,’ an organization that purports to provide doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D. and networking opportunities, but limits eligibility based on the race of participants.” The Department of Education also announced investigations into seven universities for “alleged impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation.” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement, “[T]oday’s announcement expands our efforts to ensure universities are not discriminating against their students based on race and race stereotypes.”
Although the Department of Education announcement applies only to universities, employers should continue to follow these political and legal developments, as they may provide insight into the current administration’s enforcement priorities, including with respect to diversity and inclusion practices at private sector employers.