The Department of Education announced an investigation into graduate programs at 45 universities for DEI practices — UCCS is on this list.
On March 14, UCCS’ graduate program was announced to be a part of an ongoing investigation by the Department of Education into “discriminatory practices” in institutions of higher education.
The Department of Education is investigating UCCS for alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A press release from the Department of Education claims that the universities under investigation are engaging in “race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.”
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said that the investigations are a part of a broader initiative to ensure that non-discriminative policies are upheld nationwide. “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment,” McMahon said in the press release.
The investigation centers around universities partnered with the PhD Project, a non-profit that aims to provide doctoral students from underrepresented groups with access to resources to obtain their PhDs. According to NPR, “the program focuses on supporting Black, Latino and Native American students.”
The program is under scrutiny for its alleged eligibility limitations based on race.
Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet issued a statement about the investigation to KOAA News5. According to Sobanet, a complaint was filed against the College of Business’ use of a faculty recruitment program through the PhD Project.
“Like universities across the country, we use various platforms to seek and recruit the best teaching and research talent for our students,” Sobanet said in the statement.
In the statement, Sobanet said the program has only been used to advertise open faculty positions thus far. “UCCS does not discriminate in its recruitment or hiring practices,” she said.
In a Dear Colleague letter issued on Feb. 14, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights advised the department to assess compliance among universities with existing civil rights law. Organizations found to be in violation of the measures outlined within the letter could lose federal funding.
The letter states that DEI and other programs have allowed institutions of higher education to discriminate against students based on race, “including white and Asian students.” The letter cites the use of race as a factor in admissions as unlawful behavior.
According to the letter, educational institutions have “toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon ‘systemic and structural racism.’”
The OCR states that race-conscious hiring, admissions, promotions, scholarships and programs violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin in education programs and activities receiving federal funding.
Other universities being investigated by the Department of Education include MIT, NYU, Yale University, Vanderbilt University, Cal Poly Humbert and the University of Notre Dame. UCCS is the only university in the CU system under investigation.
At this time, it is unclear what this investigation will mean for federal funding on campus. Institutions that fail to comply with Department of Education guidelines are liable to lose federal funding, which could further impact graduate students’ access to grants and research funding.
This article is part of a series focusing on how the executive orders from the Trump Administration affect students. The previous article on civic engagement grant cuts can be found on the Scribe executive order page.
The College of Business’ mission statement in Dwire Hall. Photo by Logan Cole.