The University of Alabama was recently named among 52 universities currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for alleged “impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation” and other violations of civil rights laws.
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on Friday that it had opened investigations into 51 universities total under Title VI of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
The investigations come amid allegations that 45 institutions violated Title VI 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 OCR claims limits eligibility based on the race of participants.
The OCR also stated it was investigating six other colleges for “alleged impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation.” The University of Alabama falls into the latter category.
“The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The agency has already launched Title VI investigations into institutions where widespread antisemitic harassment has been reported and Title IX investigations into entities which allegedly continue to allow sex discrimination; today’s announcement expands our efforts to ensure universities are not discriminating against their students based on race and race stereotypes. Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.”
The recent investigation comes as the Donald Trump administration has targeted the Department of Education for complete dismantlement. The agency announced Tuesday that it would cut nearly half of its workforce, in keeping with Trump's agenda to downsize or abolish the department altogether significantly.
A Trump executive order is rumored to drop in the coming days. According to the Wall Street Journal, the draft of Trump's executive order would instruct McMahon to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure" of the DOE while operating to "the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law."
Editor’s note: The U.S. Department of Education later changed its initial release, clarifying that it was specifically the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) that was under federal investigation.
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