More than 100 universities have cut ties with a prominent organization dedicated to increasing racial diversity among business professors, buckling under pressure from a Trump administration civil rights probe that critics say misapplies anti-discrimination law to undermine efforts to address longstanding inequities in higher education.
The moves come in response to federal investigations launched last March into 45 universities that worked with the PhD Project, an organization founded in 1994 to increase racial diversity among business school professors. The Office for Civil Rights argued that the group — which has helped more than 1,800 Black, Latino and Native American students earn doctorates over three decades — unlawfully restricts participation in some of its programs by race.
Of the 45 universities under investigation, 31 have reached agreements with the administration to resolve the claims. As part of the settlements, the schools pledged to identify any partnerships with organizations that limit involvement based on race and either end those relationships or justify why they will not.
The move is the latest in a series of actions by the administration to challenge race-conscious outreach and support programs, reflecting a broader legal and philosophical shift toward a strict colorblind interpretation of civil rights law — one that treats efforts to address racial exclusion as themselves discriminatory.
“It’s terrible,” said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president of the Education Trust, an advocacy group. “Organizations like the PhD Project create a sense of belonging for students who have been systematically marginalized. There is no evidence that these programs reduce opportunities for others — only that they open doors for those who’ve been shut out.”
Supporters of the administration’s approach applaud the crackdown. “Programs that target specific racial demographics are intended to exclude others,” said Nicole Neily, president of Defending Education, a conservative group that has filed numerous complaints against race-based scholarships.
But Alfonzo Alexander, president of the PhD Project, said the loss of university partnerships — which provided a third of its funding — has been devastating. Still, he insisted the organization would continue its work. “We see paths forward where we can still make a significant impact,” he said.
Jason Thatcher, now a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, credits the PhD Project with helping him complete his doctorate at Florida State University. “It gave me a community when I was really struggling,” said Dr. Thatcher, who identifies as multicultural. “My hope is that universities and the PhD Project will find new ways to partner and support students like me.”
The settlements mark a significant victory for the administration’s broader campaign against diversity initiatives, one likely to have a chilling effect on similar programs nationwide.