University of Colorado at Colorado Springs targeted in federal probe
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The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) is one of 45 colleges under federal investigation for possibly engaging in "race-exclusionary practices," the U.S. Department of Education announced Friday.
Why it matters: The probe is part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives — efforts that have put Colorado universities on high alert.
- It's also the latest example of the Trump administration taking a swipe at the state.
State of play: In a statement, the Education Department said the schools — including UCCS — are being investigated for potentially violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- Title VI obliges schools that receive federal funds to provide students with an environment free of discrimination based on race, color or national origin.
- The department said the schools under investigation may have violated the law by partnering with the The PhD Project, an organization that helps provide resources and networking opportunities to doctoral students "but limits eligibility based on the race of participants," the department said.
- The PhD Project did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Zoom in: The department is also investigating six colleges for allegedly awarding "race-based scholarships" and another for "administering a program that segregates students on the basis of race."
The intrigue: UCCS, which has a relatively large military student population, is generally considered the more conservative and politically moderate campus within the University of Colorado system — which makes its inclusion in the investigation notable.
What they're saying: The Education Department is investigating a complaint against UCCS regarding its College of Business' use of a faculty recruiting platform, hosted by The PhD project, UCCS chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement provided to Axios Denver on Friday.
- "At this point, we believe we have only used this platform to advertise open faculty positions, one tool of many our college uses to recruit qualified faculty," Sobanet said.
- "We want to say clearly, however, that UCCS does not discriminate in its recruitment or hiring practices," she added.
What's next: UCCS is in the process of gathering additional information about the complaint and "will comply with the request from the department in a timely manner," Sobanet said.
The big picture: The Trump administration's targeting DEI practices comes after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 overturned affirmative action in college admissions.
- The Trump administration has also targeted the use of diversity and affirmative action practices in the federal government.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from UCCS chancellor Jennifer Sobanet.