Overview

• The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation on July 10 into George Mason University’s hiring and promotion practices under its diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
• Faculty allege that President Gregory Washington established an Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence task force, employed equity advisers and encouraged hires based partly on diversity criteria even if qualifications were weaker.
• Acting Assistant Secretary Craig Trainor said those DEI measures “champion illegal racial preferencing” in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• This marks the second federal civil rights inquiry into GMU in the past month, following a separate probe into the university’s alleged failure to protect Jewish students.
• George Mason has denied racial discrimination, pledged full cooperation and warned that any confirmed violations could result in federal funding cuts.