The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating historic Williamsburg university William & Mary over scholarships and benefits programs that the department said may discriminate against students.
According to the DOJ, the agency opened a compliance review to determine whether the school’s scholarships and student benefits include racial criteria that violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin.
“Awarding scholarships or offering coveted opportunities to students based on the color of their skin is illegal and offends the guarantees of our color-blind Constitution,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in a statement on Monday.
He added, “The department will not turn a blind eye to race-based preferences, however they are packaged or portrayed by universities.”
The federal agency is focusing on five programs, including the W&M Scholars scholarship program for first-year undergraduate students. The DOJ quoted the program as saying applicants with an “interest in diverse people and perspectives” receive “top consideration.”
The Martha L. Muguira Fellowship and Holmes Scholars program, offered by the university’s School of Education, is also under review for allegedly giving “preference” to Hispanic or Latino women and “future education leaders of color,” respectively, the DOJ said.
W&M’s Law School faces a review for its Lemon Legal Scholars Program and the Reaching Back Scholarship program, which are geared to graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and those who “contribute to the diversity” of the law school.
In a statement on its website, W&M said it is “committed to nondiscriminatory learning environments across our campus and complying with all state and federal laws.”
The institution further stated it would not comment on the pending legal matters.
Because the school receives federal financial assistance, the agency is permitted to conduct an investigation.
The DOJ’s review of W&M is the third investigation into a Virginia higher learning institution over the past two years, largely because of conflicts with President Donald Trump’s administration over diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The department launched probes at the University of Virginia and George Mason University last year.
UVA’s five federal civil rights investigations were suspended after the university reached an agreement with the DOJ, which will remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2028 if UVA stays in compliance.
The federal investigation involving George Mason University and President Gregory Washington is still ongoing.
The DOJ said it recently became aware that GMU offers or administers scholarships and other educational benefits that may include unlawful racial criteria. The agency did not state a timeline for the review.
