The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced Friday morning it launched investigations into 45 universities, including the University of Cincinnati, over what it claims to be racial discrimination.
The Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky also were listed as schools under investigation.
The department claims these universities may have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by partnering with The Ph.D. Project, which the OCR describes as an organization that connects students with Ph.D. program opportunities, but limits participation eligibility based on race.
The Ph.D. Project was founded in 1994 and describes itself as an organization that helps people earn their Ph.D.s to broaden the talent pool of business school faculty and business leaders. It claims to have helped more than 1,500 students earn doctoral degrees.
The Ph.D. Project's website does not list the University of Cincinnati as one of its partners. UC has not yet commented on this investigation.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon says these 45 investigations — along with 60 other investigations launched earlier this week into allegations of antisemitism on college campuses — are aimed at protecting students against discrimination. The University of Cincinnati is part of that investigation as well.
“The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination," McMahon said. "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.”
The sweeping investigations come just days after the Department of Education announced a massive reduction in force, laying off nearly half its staff. NPR reports at least 240 OCR employees were included in those layoffs, amounting to almost half of the people working in that office.
Additionally, the Cleveland office for the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights closed this Tuesday and its staff was laid off.
In February, Cincinnati students and faculty held two large protests opposing federal and state actions to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and UC's willingness to comply with those orders.
Following the protests, UC's Office of the President created a FAQ page that claims most of the university DEI programs and practices will continue.
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