The Education Department has launched a federal civil rights investigation into George Mason University for renaming rather than removing its diversity, equity and inclusion program and staff.
In a Thursday news release, the agency cited a complaint filed with its Office for Civil Rights by “multiple professors at GMU who allege that the university illegally uses race and other immutable characteristics in university policies, including hiring and promotion.”
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said the complaint belies administrators’ public claims that the private Fairfax campus “does not discriminate on the basis of race” by favoring minority candidates, which the Trump administration forbids.
“This kind of pernicious and widespread discrimination — packaged as anti-racism — was allowed to flourish under the Biden administration, but it will not be tolerated by this one,” Mr. Trainor said. “The Trump-McMahon Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights will investigate this matter fully