The Trump administration announced it’s opening investigations into Duke University and George Mason University as part of its broader effort to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in institutions receiving federal funds. The administration claims Duke violated the Civil Rights Act.
What is Duke accused of?
The Department of Education announced the investigations into the university and the Duke Law Journal on Monday. The probe follows reporting from The Washington Free Beacon that alleges the North Carolina institution potentially violated the Civil Rights Act.
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In a joint letter released the same day, Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also expressed “shared concerns about the use of race preferences in Duke’s hiring, admissions and scholarships.
How Columbia’s $200M settlement ties in
The Duke investigation comes on the heels of Columbia University’s $200 million settlement with the Trump administration. The settlement cleared the way for the school to receive about $400 million in federal funding after the White House pulled the funding in March.
An administration official told CNN the Columbia deal may serve as a blueprint for other schools, with similar talks reportedly underway with Cornell and Brown. Meanwhile, Harvard remains locked in legal battles after the administration froze more than $2 billion in federal funds.
Duke may not follow the blueprint
So far, Duke has shown no interest in negotiating with the Trump administration, according to the official. This is the first time President Donald Trump has investigated a school in a state he won in the 2024 election.
A spokesperson for Duke University has not yet responded to a request for comment.
What are investigators looking for?
The administration is reviewing whether Duke University and its law journal are violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. This law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal funding.
The letter from McMahon and RFK Jr. alleges “serious allegations of systemic racial discrimination permeating the operations of Duke University School of Medicine and other components of Duke Health.” HHS said the letter “outlines expectations for a partnership-style pathway for Duke to work with HHS and the Department of Education to swiftly uncover prohibited race-based discrimination in Duke Health and come into compliance with certain Federal civil rights laws.”
RFK Jr. said in a statement that he and McMahon are requesting Duke assemble a “Merit and Civil Rights Committee” to coordinate with the administration.
The Education Department is also demanding that Duke:
- Review all Duke Health policies and practices for illegal race preferences.
- Immediately eliminate discriminatory practices.
- Provide clear, verifiable assurances that new policies will comply with federal law.
Investigation into George Mason University
The decision follows the Department of Justice’s investigation into George Mason University over allegations of discrimination in its DEI programs.
According to The New York Times, many faculty members were angered by the announcement and professors published a resolution supporting the university’s president and the school’s efforts to promote diversity.
The Justice Department responded by announcing it would investigate faculty at the university as well. In a letter sent on Friday, July 25, the Trump administration noted it would seek drafts of the faculty resolution, all written communications between the faculty senate members who approved the resolution, and all communication among faculty and the office of George Mason’s president, Gregory Washington.
The resolution asserted the school’s previous pledge to stand behind Washington, the school’s first Black president, who has been targeted by the White House, and declared “diversity is strength.”
Criticism of the investigations
Free speech rights advocates have condemned the federal investigations, calling them an attack on academic freedom.
Still, Trump is delivering on his campaign promise to dismantle DEI programs. His administration argues DEI “creates and then amplifies prejudicial hostility and exacerbates interpersonal conflict.”
In February, the Department of Education warned that it would cut federal funding to any academic institution practicing DEI. Many schools eliminated DEI references from their websites, discontinued programs and had scholarship funding withdrawn.
Proponents argue that DEI programs are vital to building inclusive campuses and point to research showing that students exposed to greater levels of diversity are more culturally aware and likely to engage in civic duties.
Stephen Miller’s role
One of the key architects behind the administration’s anti-DEI push is senior advisor Stephen Miller, who is also a Duke alumnus.
The probes could potentially lead to the loss of federal funding, which comes amid an already tightening budget due to cuts to funding at the National Institutes of Health. Duke also launched a voluntary separation program and layoffs are slated to begin next month, as reported by the Duke Chronicle.
