UNLV is one of 45 universities being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education “that reiterated schools’ civil rights obligations to end the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities,” the agency said Friday in a news release.
The investigations come amid allegations that the institutions have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by partnering with “The Ph.D. Project,” an organization that 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 release said.
“Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment,” new U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in the release.
Neither The Ph.D. Project nor UNLV immediately responded to a request for comment on Friday. A spokeswoman for Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said he would not comment on pending litigation or investigations.
Six other colleges are being investigated for awarding “impermissible race-based scholarships,” the department said, and another is accused of running a program that segregates students on the basis of race.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com and Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly and @jess_hillyeah on X. Review-Journal reporter Tony Garcia contributed to this report.
