The state and the university are accused of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The federal government has launched investigations into hiring practices by the state of Minnesota and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at George Mason University in Virginia, it announced on July 10.
The Department of Education said in a statement that it was investigating the university over alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in education programs that receive federal funding.
The statement said the probe is based on a complaint filed with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) by “multiple professors” at the university, who allege it “illegally uses race and other immutable characteristics in university policies, including hiring and promotion.”
Citing the complaint, the department said leadership at the university has “promoted and adopted unlawful DEI policies” since 2020, and that the policies “give preferential treatment to prospective and current faculty from ‘underrepresented groups’ to advance ’anti-racism.’”
The department said the alleged conduct creates a “racially hostile environment” and is prohibited under Title VI.
“This kind of pernicious and wide-spread discrimination—packaged as ‘anti-racism’—was allowed to flourish under the Biden Administration, but it will not be tolerated by this one,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in the statement.
“The Trump-McMahon Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights will investigate this matter fully to ensure that individuals are judged based on their merit and accomplishment, not the color of their skin.”
It marks the second Title VI investigation opened against George Mason this month after the Education Department said it was probing allegations that the school had failed to protect Jewish students and faculty members from what it described as a “hostile environment” from October 2023 through the 2024–2025 academic year.
The university denied any allegations of discrimination in a statement, and said it “affirms its commitment to comply with all federal and state mandates.”
It comes as the Trump administration has announced probes into the DEI practices of multiple universities in recent weeks, including the University of California and the University of Virginia, the latter of which saw the school’s president, James Ryan, resign.
