Feds probe alleged "race-exclusionary practices" at UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley is one of 45 schools under investigation over allegations that they participated in "race-exclusionary practices" in their graduate programs, the Department of Education said Friday.
Why it matters: It's the latest attempt by the Trump administration to crack down on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which have been repeatedly targeted since Trump came into office.
The letter comes after the department warned 60 colleges, including UC Berkeley and Stanford, that their federal funds could be cut if they don't address allegations of antisemitic harassment on campus.
Driving the news: The department said in a statement it was investigating the 45 schools for potentially violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which obliges schools that receive federal funds to provide students with an environment free of discrimination based on race, color or national origin.
The department claimed the schools may have violated the law by partnering with the organization The Ph.D. Project, which "purports to provide doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D. and networking opportunities, but limits eligibility based on the race of participants."
The department is also investigating six colleges for allegedly awarding "race-based scholarships" and another for "administering a program that segregates students on the basis of race."
The other side: UC Berkeley did not immediately return a request for comment.
Between the lines: Framing schools' DEI programs, which are meant to provide equal opportunities for students of color, as "race-exclusionary" also aligns with some Trump allies' desire to reinterpret Civil Rights-era laws to focus on "anti-white racism" rather than discrimination against people of color, Axios' Alex Thompson has reported.
The big picture: The Trump administration's targeting of DEI practices comes after the Supreme Court in 2023 overturned affirmative action in college admissions.
Trump's White House has also targeted the use of diversity and affirmative action practices in the federal government.
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As Trump and Musk part ways, it's clear that Musk's brazen, fully autonomous leadership style didn't work in the government world, as it eschewed transparency and collaboration in favor of a top-down approach. "The one-size-fits-all policy does not work everywhere," says Kumar. "You have to understand the culture of the organization and you have to work from inside rather than from outside." Back in November, experts told me it wasn't clear what authority Musk would actually wield in the newly-created position to implement massive spending cuts. Trying to employ tech-world leadership tactics from the White House created a rivalry between Musk and Trump for power and control, undercutting the alliance between the two and leaving DOGE far short of its savings goals. "The lesson here is akin to that of two mob bosses of the gangster world who both crave the superior distinction of being the number one boss — with surging parallel drives for grandiosity," Sonnenfeld says. "Musk's tragic mistake was that he forgot his role — as a staffer and advisor to Trump, not the primary character he foolishly believed himself to be, and even now, continues to overestimate his own importance and indispensability."
