The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into Vanderbilt University and 44 other colleges and universities regarding the institutions’ “use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.”
Vanderbilt and the other institutions are under investigation amid allegations that they have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by partnering with “The Ph.D. Project,” which, according to its website, “provides historically underrepresented students in the U.S. a model for achievement in academia to enrich the talent pipeline.”
The Ph.D. Project, founded in 1994, says it provides students from “historically underrepresented backgrounds” with partnerships, networking, mentoring, and unique events to earn Ph. Ds so they can “inspire and educate the next generation of students and business professionals.”
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in education programs and activities receiving federal funding. Violations of the Civil Rights Act can result in the loss of federal funding.
