ARCATA, Calif. — Cal Poly Humboldt is facing another Title VI investigation by the U.S. Department of Education, joining 44 other universities under scrutiny for racial discrimination.
The Department of Education alleges that the institutions violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964) by partnering with the nonprofit organization, “The Ph.D. Project”. The project aims to provide doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D. and networking opportunities but is accused of limiting eligibility based on race.
This marks Cal Poly Humboldt’s second Title VI investigation in recent weeks. The first investigation stemmed from a student’s claim that the university ignored antisemitism on campus.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) said they initiated these investigations following a Feb. 14 “Dear Colleague Letter“. That letter reiterated schools’ civil rights obligations not to discriminate based on racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said,
The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination. 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.
McMahon emphasized, “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.”
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. The OCR said violations of Title VI can result in the loss of those federal funds.
The universities now 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 – Colorado Springs
- 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
The schools under investigation for alleged impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation are:
- Grand Valley State University
- Ithaca College
- New England College of Optometry
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- University of South Florida
- University of Oklahoma, Tulsa School of Community Medicine