Overview

• The Department of Education announced investigations into over 50 colleges, including UC Berkeley, Yale, and the University of Utah, for alleged race-based discrimination tied to diversity programs and scholarships.
• The investigations focus on institutions partnering with PhD Project, a nonprofit aimed at increasing faculty diversity in business schools, which the administration claims violates anti-discrimination laws.
• A 2023 Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action is being used as the legal basis for the administration's efforts to end race-conscious practices in higher education.
• Some universities, like Columbia, are also facing federal funding cuts and scrutiny over campus protests, with additional investigations into alleged antisemitism and race-based segregation.
• Critics argue the investigations are politically motivated and could undermine diversity and inclusion efforts, while institutions under review have pledged to cooperate with federal authorities.