Rice University under federal investigation over DEI programs
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Rice University. Photo: Craig Hartley/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Rice University is among about 45 universities under federal investigation over allegations that they participated in "race-exclusionary practices."
Why it matters: The investigation is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, which have been repeatedly targeted since Trump came into office.
State of play: The Department of Education said in a statement that these schools are being investigated for possibly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin at federally funded institutions.
- The schools allegedly violated the law by working with the organization The Ph.D. Project, which "purports to provide doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D. and networking opportunities, but limits eligibility based on the race of participants," per the department.
- Schools found to be in violation of Title VI could lose federal funding.
The Ph.D. Project, per its website, aims to "enrich education for all" and helps "students from various backgrounds earn PhDs."
Rice declined to comment about the investigation or the Ph.D. Project.
Zoom in: Rice's Jones Graduate School of Business, on its website as of Friday afternoon, stated that it is "proud to support all our students through strategic partnerships" like The Ph.D. Project.
Meanwhile, Rice University earlier this month renamed its DEI office the "Office of Access and Institutional Excellence" amid federal threats to some school funding.
- In 2024, Rice received about $129 million in federal research awards, largely from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, according to the university.
Flashback: At an Axios event in 2023, Rice University president Reginald DesRoches stressed the importance of diversity in student class and faculty.
- "For us to be competitive, to continue to recruit the best students to Rice and the best faculty and staff to Rice, we have to be diverse," he said.
The University of North Texas in Denton was also named in the investigation.
Go deeper: Trump's DEI order raises fears of anti-diversity "witch hunt"