University of Alabama Faces Federal Probe Over Alleged ‘Race-Based Segregation’ – The Times of India

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced last Friday that the University of Alabama is under investigation for allegedly offering “impermissible race-based scholarships” and engaging in “race-based segregation,” as reported by the Alabama Reflector.
In a press release, US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon stated, “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment,” as reported by the Alabama Reflector.
The acting assistant secretary for civil rights, Craig Trainor, sent a letter to the university on February 14, reiterating schools’ civil rights obligations to end the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities. The letter claimed that American educational institutions “have discriminated against students on the basis of race, including white and Asian students.” The US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights also referred to the concept of systemic and structural racism as “a false premise,” according to the Alabama Reflector.
The University of Alabama is not the only institution under scrutiny. It is one of seven universities facing similar allegations. The other six include Grand Valley State University, Ithaca College, the New England College of Optometry, the University of Minnesota, and the University of South Florida. Additionally, the OCR has accused 45 other universities of engaging in “race-exclusionary practices” in their graduate programs.
Reports indicate that many of these investigations focus on universities partnering with the PhD Project, a nonprofit organization aimed at increasing diversity in business education by supporting underrepresented students. Officials argue that its race-based eligibility criteria result in “race-exclusionary practices” within graduate programs.
Among the 45 institutions being scrutinized for ties to the PhD Project are prominent public universities such as Arizona State, Ohio State, and Rutgers, as well as elite private institutions including Yale, Cornell, Duke, and MIT.
Meanwhile, the policy is already facing legal challenges. The nation’s two largest teachers’ unions have filed lawsuits against the directive, arguing that it is too vague and infringes on free speech protections for educators. As the legal battle unfolds, universities across the country are closely monitoring the implications of these investigations, which could have a lasting impact on diversity initiatives in higher education.
As these investigations unfold, the debate over race-based policies in higher education continues to intensify. Universities are now facing increased scrutiny over their diversity initiatives, with potential legal and policy shifts on the horizon. The outcome of these cases could significantly shape the future of affirmative action and race-conscious programs in the US education system.