Overview

• The investigation targets Duke Law Journal’s 2024 decision to award extra points to applicants who mentioned race and gender in personal statements, which the DOE says likely violates Title VI.
• The journal’s grading guide provided up to 10 bonus points for underrepresented group membership and 3 to 5 points for holding leadership roles in affinity groups.
• DOE and HHS sent Duke Medical School a joint letter demanding creation of a Merit and Civil Rights Committee to address alleged racial preference practices within six months or face enforcement proceedings.
• Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemned the practices as illegal and warned that Title VI violations could jeopardize Duke’s nearly $1 billion in annual federal funding.
• The probe builds on the administration’s broader campaign challenging race-conscious policies at elite law reviews, including ongoing investigations of Harvard Law Review and lawsuits against other journals.