Several universities across Massachusetts and New England are the subject of new investigations launched under President Donald Trump’s effort to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs.According to a statement from the department, each of the universities partnered with The PhD Project, a nonprofit that helps students from underrepresented groups get degrees in business with the goal of diversifying the business world. The DOE alleges that the organization limits eligibility based on the race of participants and that colleges that partner with it are “engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.”The group of 45 universities facing investigation over ties to the PhD Project includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University and the University of Rhode Island. The Associated Press attempted to contact the PhD Project but the inquiry was not immediately answered. “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “We will not yield on this commitment.”Seven other schools, including the New England College of Optometry, are also facing investigation for the alleged use of “impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation,” the DOE said.The announcement comes one month after DOE sent a memo to all educational institutions receiving federal funding, which warned that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard does not permit the consideration of race in college admissions. That decision focused on admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, but the Education Department said it will interpret the decision to forbid race-based policies in any aspect of education, both in K-12 schools and higher education.”Educational institutions have toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon ‘systemic and structural racism’ and advanced discriminatory policies and practices. Proponents of these discriminatory practices have attempted to further justify them—particularly during the last four years—under the banner of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (‘DEI’), smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline,” the memo states. The memo is being challenged in federal lawsuits from the nation’s two largest teachers unions. The suits say the memo is too vague and violates the free speech rights of educators.Earlier this week, DOE notified 60 schools — including Boston University, Emerson College, Harvard University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Wellesley College — of an investigation into alleged “antisemitic discrimination and harassment” on the schools’ campuses.Also, this week, the department announced more than 1,300 job cuts and the termination of office leases in six cities, including Boston.Full list of universities under investigation for allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs include:Arizona State University – Main Campus Boise State University Cal Poly Humboldt California State University – San Bernadino Carnegie Mellon University Clemson University Cornell University Duke University Emory University George Mason University Georgetown University Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Montana State University-Bozeman New York University (NYU) Rice University Rutgers University The Ohio State University – Main Campus Towson University Tulane University University of Arkansas – Fayetteville University of California-Berkeley University of Chicago University of Cincinnati – Main Campus University of Colorado at Colorado University of Delaware University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Minnesota-Twin Cities University of Nebraska at Omaha University of New Mexico – Main Campus University of North Dakota – Main Campus University of North Texas – Denton University of Notre Dame University of NV – Las Vegas University of Oregon University of Rhode Island University of Utah University of Washington-Seattle University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Wyoming Vanderbilt University Washington State University Washington University in St. Louis Yale University Full list of schools under investigation for alleged impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation: Grand Valley State University Ithaca College New England College of Optometry University of Alabama University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of South Florida University of Tulsa School of MedicineThe Associated Press contributed to this report
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. —
Several universities across Massachusetts and New England are the subject of new investigations launched under President Donald Trump’s effort to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
According to a statement from the department, each of the universities partnered with The PhD Project, a nonprofit that helps students from underrepresented groups get degrees in business with the goal of diversifying the business world. The DOE alleges that the organization limits eligibility based on the race of participants and that colleges that partner with it are “engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.”
The group of 45 universities facing investigation over ties to the PhD Project includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University and the University of Rhode Island.
The Associated Press attempted to contact the PhD Project but the inquiry was not immediately answered.
“Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “We will not yield on this commitment.”
Seven other schools, including the New England College of Optometry, are also facing investigation for the alleged use of “impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation,” the DOE said.
The announcement comes one month after DOE sent a memo to all educational institutions receiving federal funding, which warned that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard does not permit the consideration of race in college admissions.
That decision focused on admissions policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, but the Education Department said it will interpret the decision to forbid race-based policies in any aspect of education, both in K-12 schools and higher education.
“Educational institutions have toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon ‘systemic and structural racism’ and advanced discriminatory policies and practices. Proponents of these discriminatory practices have attempted to further justify them—particularly during the last four years—under the banner of ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (‘DEI’), smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline,” the memo states.
The memo is being challenged in federal lawsuits from the nation’s two largest teachers unions. The suits say the memo is too vague and violates the free speech rights of educators.
Earlier this week, DOE notified 60 schools — including Boston University, Emerson College, Harvard University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Wellesley College — of an investigation into alleged “antisemitic discrimination and harassment” on the schools’ campuses.
Also, this week, the department announced more than 1,300 job cuts and the termination of office leases in six cities, including Boston.
Full list of universities under investigation for allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs include:
- Arizona State University – Main Campus
- Boise State University
- Cal Poly Humboldt
- California State University – San Bernadino
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Clemson University
- Cornell University
- Duke University
- Emory University
- George Mason University
- Georgetown University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Montana State University-Bozeman
- New York University (NYU)
- Rice University
- Rutgers University
- The Ohio State University – Main Campus
- Towson University
- Tulane University
- University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
- University of California-Berkeley
- University of Chicago
- University of Cincinnati – Main Campus
- University of Colorado at Colorado
- University of Delaware
- University of Kansas
- University of Kentucky
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- University of Nebraska at Omaha
- University of New Mexico – Main Campus
- University of North Dakota – Main Campus
- University of North Texas – Denton
- University of Notre Dame
- University of NV – Las Vegas
- University of Oregon
- University of Rhode Island
- University of Utah
- University of Washington-Seattle
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Wyoming
- Vanderbilt University
- Washington State University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- Yale University
Full list of schools under investigation for alleged impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation:
- Grand Valley State University
- Ithaca College
- New England College of Optometry
- University of Alabama
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- University of South Florida
- University of Tulsa School of Medicine
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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