Education
UChicago, Dozens of Other Colleges Cut Ties With Nonprofit After Trump Administration Investigation
The campus of University of Chicago is pictured in a file photo. (Jacob Boomsma / iStock)
The University of Chicago is among dozens of universities and colleges that have reached agreements with the U.S. Department of Education to terminate their partnerships with a nonprofit that helps students from underrepresented groups get degrees in business.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Thursday announced that her department had settled with 31 institutions of higher learning across the county after launching investigations early last year into allegations of racial discrimination amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
As part of those agreements, UChicago, Notre Dame and 29 other colleges and universities ended their partnerships with The Ph.D. Project, which helps racial minorities earn doctorate degrees.
“The University of Chicago discontinued its engagement with the organization prior to receiving the notice of investigation from the Office for Civil Rights, and takes seriously its obligation to prohibit unlawful discrimination,” UChicago’s Director of Public Affairs Gerald McSwiggan said in a statement.
The PhD Project was a little-known nonprofit group until it caught the attention of conservative strategists last year and became the focus of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. The Republican administration says school diversity programs often exclude White and Asian American students.
“The PhD Project was founded with the goal of providing more role models in the front of business classrooms and this remains our goal today,” the organization said in a statement Thursday. The website says it has “helped more than 1,500 members earn their doctoral degree.”
As part of the deals, each institution also agreed to conduct a review of their partnerships with external organizations to identify any that may “violate Title VI by restricting participation based on race,” according to the Department of Education.
“We are hopeful that other institutions with similarly discriminatory practices will follow suit,” McMahon said in a statement, “paving the way for a future where we reject judging individuals by the color of their skin and once again embrace the principles of merit, excellence, and opportunity.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
