Several universities in our region are facing an investigation by the federal Department of Education for their participation in a program aimed at helping underrepresented students earn advanced degrees. At issue is the universities’ partnership with the nonprofit organization PhD Project, which helps students of color and other underrepresented groups earn doctoral degrees in business. The education department’s Office of Civil Rights said the program – which focuses on Black, Latino, and Native American students – is pushing “race-exclusionary practices.”
These investigations come a month after the Office of Civil Rights sent a letter to universities warning them to stop using “race-based preferences” in admissions, hiring, training, financial aid, and other aspects of university life or risk losing federal funding.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is among the 50 universities across the country on the list. It declined to comment, but issued a statement saying three former UNLV professors participated in the program. The school added that it is committed to and will “provide equality of educational and employment opportunities” for all.
Boise State University in Idaho, another school also named in the investigation, said in a statement that it is working with its legal counsel to review the situation.
The other Mountain West schools named in the investigation are the University of Utah, the University of Wyoming, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio (KNPR) in Las Vegas, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
