Latest news with #EqualProtectionProject
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Conservative group files federal complaint against UConn over DEI scholarships
A conservative group that's pursuing anti-DEI complaints against more than a dozen state universities on Wednesday targeted the University of Connecticut, accusing the school of violating civil rights law by setting aside numerous scholarships exclusively or chiefly for minority students. The Rhode Island-based Equal Protection Project complained to the federal education department's Office of Civil Rights that UConn illegally invoked race, ethnicity or gender in awarding several scholarships. 'That racially discriminatory scholarships exist at a major public university is disheartening. It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on the inherent worth and dignity of every student rather than categorizing students based on identity groups,' according to William A. Jacobson, founder of the campaign. Numerous universities and colleges maintain 'minority-focused' scholarships, internship programs, summer residencies or other financial aid tools aimed at increasing enrollment by Black, Hispanic or other student groups. Educators contend that affirmative action programs are important to overcoming a historical pattern in which minorities have been under-represented in higher education. But the Equal Protection Project insists that race- or nationality-based financial awards are unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 ruled that two 'race conscious' admissions programs in higher education violated the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law. This year, the nonprofit Equal Protection Project has sharply stepped up its campaign of anti-discrimination complaints. Since January it has gone to the Office of Civil Rights to contest scholarships at the University of Oregon, the University of Alabama, the University of Nebraska, Drake University, Bowdoin College, the University of South Carolina and about 15 others. On Wednesday, the organization announced that it's challenging the legality of four UConn scholarship programs. UConn said late Wednesday that it had not yet gotten a copy of the complaint or been told which funds it involves. 'Generally speaking, UConn continually reviews its scholarship and financial aid criteria against current legal requirements and adjusts as needed to ensure compliance,' UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said. 'Some such scholarship funds are currently paused following the recent Dear Colleague letter and other related federal guidance, and UConn is working with donors and departments to make any necessary revisions.' In mid-February, the U.S. Department of Education issued a 'Dear Colleague' letter ordering educational institutions that get federal funding to stop using race preferences as a factor in deciding admissions, discipline, hiring, scholarships and more. The Equal Protection complaint quotes UConn's mission statement: 'UConn has a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ). We aim to support diversity, equity, and inclusion through offering support for success for people of all backgrounds.' Jacobson's group argues that that's illegal when it blocks non-minority students from being eligible for aid or awards. 'We are asking UConn to live up to the law and its own rules, and remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected,' the organization said in a statement. 'Racial and ethnic discrimination are wrong and unlawful no matter which race or ethnicity is targeted or benefits. All applicants are entitled to equal treatment without regard to race, color, or national origin.' In February, Jacobson told ProPublica that his organization opposes any discrimination, saying 'If there are programs that exclude Black students, we want the department to go after that, but I am not aware of such programs.' At UConn, he contends that Bryan K. and Alice M. Pollard Scholarship rules are discriminatory. They say 'Applicants must have overcome obstacles such as socioeconomic or educational disadvantage, be members of underrepresented groups at the university, including students of color, or have experience living or working in diverse environments.' The complaint alleges that the Sidney P. Marland Jr. Fund for Educational Leadership is also being run illegally because the criteria say 'The award provides scholarships for minority undergraduate and graduate students in educational leadership.' He also is challenging a dietetics program diversity scholarship that states 'priority given to candidates of an ethnic or racial background which is underrepresented at UConn,' as well as the Philo T. Pritzkau Fund for graduate students in the Neag School of Education, where the rules say 'priority consideration will be given to African American, Hispanic American and Native American students.' Long-time civil rights organizations such as the NAACP and the Southern Poverty Law Center condemned the Supreme Court's decision when it came out in 2023. Voters the next year elected President Trump, who is working to dismantle DEI initiatives across the country. Soon afterward, the federal education department's civil rights office stopped or slowed its review of thousands of civil rights complaints, according to ProPublica. At the same time, it began an investigation into whether universities show bias against white students. 'Let me be clear: it is a new day in America, and under President Trump, OCR will not tolerate discrimination of any kind,' Craig Trainor, acting director of the office, told ProPublica. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights takes a different view. 'The American Dream is not equally available to all. In 2023, the Department of Education reported that it received the most civil rights complaints in its history, most of which allege race, sex, or disability discrimination,' according to the group. 'While the number of Black people with college degrees has increased over the last two decades, Black people remain relegated to lower wage jobs and less lucrative industries compared to white people with similar levels of education, and Black women experience some of the largest pay gaps,' it said.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Civil rights group claims DACA-only scholarships constitute illegal discrimination against American students
EXCLUSIVE - A complaint filed by a civil rights organization on Wednesday alleges the University of Nebraska Omaha is offering scholarships that are discriminatory towards United States citizens. "Providing a scholarship limited to DACA or DACA-eligible students is national origin discrimination," Cornell professor William Jacobson and founder of the Equal Protection Project, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Because DACA only applies to persons born outside the United States who meet certain additional criteria, restricting scholarship eligibility to DACA recipients constitutes discrimination based on national origin and violates Title VI," he added. "The national origin which is the subject of discrimination is American-born students." The Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created by former President Barack Obama to provide temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children. Civil Rights Group Alleges A Michigan College's Scholarship Focused On Trans-racial Adoptees Is Discriminatory In the complaint, filed Wednesday, the Equal Protection Project alleges that the University of Nebraska Omaha's Dreamer's Pathway Scholarship Program violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits educational institutions that receive federal funding from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin. Read On The Fox News App According to the school's website, the scholarship is open to "students who are Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or DACA-eligible and Nebraska residents who are seeking an undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO)." Those who receive the scholarship are eligible to receive renewable full tuition, fees and books for up to 5 years or 3 years for transfer students. One of the other requirements for applicants is that they had to have graduated from a Nebraska high school. "That race- and national-origin-based discriminatory scholarships exist at a major university is shocking and reflects how Critical Race Theory and its offshoots like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, are deeply embedded in the campus culture," Jacobson said. "It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on the inherent worth and dignity of every student rather than categorizing students based on identity groups." Civil Rights Group Files Complaint Against University Of San Diego For Alleged Race Discrimination The group also alleges that UNO's HDR scholarships violate Title VI as the school's website says, "Preference shall be given to underrepresented minority students, but shall not be the controlling criterion in awarding this scholarship." "As UNO is a public university, its offering, promoting, and administrating these discriminatory scholarships also violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment," the complaint reads. "In Students for Fair Admissions, the Supreme Court emphasized that '[e]liminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it …. The guarantee of equal protection cannot mean one thing when applied to one individual and something else when applied to a person of another color. If both are not accorded the same protection, then it is not equal.'" Jacobson told Fox News Digital that his organization has filed cases against about 100 institutions challenging over 400 discriminatory scholarships and programs. Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Nebraska Omaha for comment, but did not immediately receive a article source: Civil rights group claims DACA-only scholarships constitute illegal discrimination against American students
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Civil rights group claims DACA-only scholarships constitute illegal discrimination against American students
EXCLUSIVE - A complaint filed by a civil rights organization on Wednesday alleges the University of Nebraska Omaha is offering scholarships that are discriminatory towards United States citizens. "Providing a scholarship limited to DACA or DACA-eligible students is national origin discrimination," Cornell professor William Jacobson and founder of the Equal Protection Project, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Because DACA only applies to persons born outside the United States who meet certain additional criteria, restricting scholarship eligibility to DACA recipients constitutes discrimination based on national origin and violates Title VI," he added. "The national origin which is the subject of discrimination is American-born students." The Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was created by former President Barack Obama to provide temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children. In the complaint, filed Wednesday, the Equal Protection Project alleges that the University of Nebraska Omaha's Dreamer's Pathway Scholarship Program violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits educational institutions that receive federal funding from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin. According to the school's website, the scholarship is open to "students who are Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or DACA-eligible and Nebraska residents who are seeking an undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO)." Those who receive the scholarship are eligible to receive renewable full tuition, fees and books for up to 5 years or 3 years for transfer students. One of the other requirements for applicants is that they had to have graduated from a Nebraska high school. "That race- and national-origin-based discriminatory scholarships exist at a major university is shocking and reflects how Critical Race Theory and its offshoots like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, are deeply embedded in the campus culture," Jacobson said. "It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on the inherent worth and dignity of every student rather than categorizing students based on identity groups." The group also alleges that UNO's HDR scholarships violate Title VI as the school's website says, "Preference shall be given to underrepresented minority students, but shall not be the controlling criterion in awarding this scholarship." "As UNO is a public university, its offering, promoting, and administrating these discriminatory scholarships also violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment," the complaint reads. "In Students for Fair Admissions, the Supreme Court emphasized that '[e]liminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it …. The guarantee of equal protection cannot mean one thing when applied to one individual and something else when applied to a person of another color. If both are not accorded the same protection, then it is not equal.'" Jacobson told Fox News Digital that his organization has filed cases against about 100 institutions challenging over 400 discriminatory scholarships and programs. Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Nebraska Omaha for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MTSU faces federal civil rights complaints over minority-preference scholarships
Middle Tennessee State University faces a federal civil rights complaint accusing MTSU of discrimination through 17 minority-preferred scholarships. The Equal Protection Project based in Barrington, Rhode Island, filed the complaint May 8 with the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education offices in Washington and Atlanta, according to a document shared with a press release embargoed for 1 p.m. May 8. The complaining organization's press release included comments from William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project ( "The use of DEI in higher education is controversial, particularly in 'red' states,'" Jacobson said in the press release. "Regardless of where one stands on DEI, violation of the Civil Rights Act is unlawful. It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on treating each student as an individual, rather than categorizing students based on identity groups." The 17 scholarships mentioned in the complaint included the Edith Ann Clark Moore Scholarship with the following guideline: 'Preference will also be afforded to students whoare underrepresented minorities.' Moore grew up in the Murfreesboro area and attended the former historic Cemetery School that served Black children prior to desegregation in Rutherford County. "It is shocking that in a state like Tennessee, which has passed legislation seeking to avoid discrimination done in the name of DEI, that openly discriminatory scholarships are offered at a major state university," Jacobson said in the press release. "MTSU has strong non-discrimination policies. MTSU should live up to its own rules, and remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected. "At EPP our guiding principle is that the remedy for racism never is more racism. To the extent MTSU seeks greater diversity, there are many lawful means of achieving that goal, but discrimination is not one of them." This is a developing story. The DNJ has reached out MTSU for comment. History of school for Black children: Murfreesboro Cemetery School to be restored by descendants of students who went there The press release offered the following additional comments from Jacobson. "The Equal Protection Project calls on the senior administration of MTSU to make sure nondiscrimination standards are upheld throughout the institution," the release said. "At EPP we have filed almost 100 cases challenging over 300 discriminatory scholarships and programs. In no case are we aware of a school claiming it was free to discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, so why does it keep happening? Unfortunately there is a culture on many campuses that excuses some forms of racial discrimination, and that needs to stop. Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@ To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU faces federal civil rights complaints over minority scholarships
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MTSU faces federal civil rights complaints over minority-preference scholarships
Middle Tennessee State University faces a federal civil rights complaint accusing MTSU of discrimination through 17 minority-preferred scholarships. The Equal Protection Project based in Barrington, Rhode Island, filed the complaint May 8 with the Office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education offices in Washington and Atlanta, according to a document shared with a press release embargoed for 1 p.m. May 8. The complaining organization's press release included comments from William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project ( "The use of DEI in higher education is controversial, particularly in 'red' states,'" Jacobson said in the press release. "Regardless of where one stands on DEI, violation of the Civil Rights Act is unlawful. It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on treating each student as an individual, rather than categorizing students based on identity groups." The 17 scholarships mentioned in the complaint included the Edith Ann Clark Moore Scholarship with the following guideline: 'Preference will also be afforded to students whoare underrepresented minorities.' Moore grew up in the Murfreesboro area and attended the former historic Cemetery School that served Black children prior to desegregation in Rutherford County. "It is shocking that in a state like Tennessee, which has passed legislation seeking to avoid discrimination done in the name of DEI, that openly discriminatory scholarships are offered at a major state university," Jacobson said in the press release. "MTSU has strong non-discrimination policies. MTSU should live up to its own rules, and remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected. "At EPP our guiding principle is that the remedy for racism never is more racism. To the extent MTSU seeks greater diversity, there are many lawful means of achieving that goal, but discrimination is not one of them." This is a developing story. The DNJ has reached out MTSU for comment. History of school for Black children: Murfreesboro Cemetery School to be restored by descendants of students who went there The press release offered the following additional comments from Jacobson. "The Equal Protection Project calls on the senior administration of MTSU to make sure nondiscrimination standards are upheld throughout the institution," the release said. "At EPP we have filed almost 100 cases challenging over 300 discriminatory scholarships and programs. In no case are we aware of a school claiming it was free to discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, so why does it keep happening? Unfortunately there is a culture on many campuses that excuses some forms of racial discrimination, and that needs to stop. Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@ To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU faces federal civil rights complaints over minority scholarships
