The Trump administration has initiated investigations into the admissions policies at Stanford University and three campuses within the University of California system, which include UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Irvine. This move was confirmed by the Department of Justice on Thursday.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has instructed the department’s Civil Rights Division to look into whether the policies of these institutions align with the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that terminated affirmative action in college admissions. This investigation comes as part of an ongoing effort by the administration to address what they see as exclusionary practices towards white and Asian American students in programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
President Donald Trump, who has been in office since January, has been vocal about his opposition to what he views as preferential treatment based on race. The administration has been actively working to eliminate what they refer to as “race-based preferences” from various aspects of academia, such as admissions, hiring practices, scholarships, and other elements of campus life. Institutions have been warned that failure to comply with these directives may result in the loss of federal funding.
The latest action comes after the U.S. Department of Education said it was investigating 52 universities for alleged racial discrimination earlier this month. Most of those schools were told those investigations were due to a partnership with a nonprofit organization that aimed to help students of color get doctoral degrees.
“President Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country,” Bondi said in the statement. “Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect, and character, not the color of their skin.”
Stanford said in a statement Thursday that after the Supreme Court ruling, it took immediate steps to ensure its admissions process complied with the law.
“We continue to be committed to fulfilling our obligations under the law,” the statement said, adding that the school had not been told specifically why it was being investigated. “We do not have details about today’s announcement, but we look forward to learning more about their concerns and responding to the department’s questions.”
The University of California did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it was investigating “a major medical school in California” for alleged racial discrimination in admissions. The statement did not name the school. It said the action was in response to information the Office for Civil Rights had received. It did not give specifics.
The Trump administration also launched an investigation Thursday into the California Department of Education. At issue is a law that says districts can’t force teachers and staff to notify parents if a student changes their gender identity at school.
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