The Trump Administration is investigating Duke University over its diversity practices. The probe comes as hundreds of employees prepare to leave the university due to federal funding cuts.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and Education Secretary Linda McMahon recently sent a letter to Duke administrators. In it, they allege the university's health system and medical school are engaging in “wrongful racial preferences” in hiring and admissions.
“This vile racism carries a host of excuses and hides behind a smug superiority that such ‘benefitted’ races cannot compete under merit-based consideration,” the letter stated. “Like all racism, ‘affirmative action’ undermines America’s commitment to merit-based justice and violates the nation’s civil rights laws.”
The letter does not cite specific practices or examples of the alleged racism, but the missive fits into the Trump Administration's wider crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in education, business, and government.
Kennedy and McMahon urge Duke administrators set up a “Merit and Civil Rights Committee” to review its diversity policies “to avoid invasive federal engagement.” The secretaries warn the university's federal funding could be at risk if it doesn’t change course. “It is our hope that Duke Medical School and other components of Duke Health will either demonstrate that they merit the privilege of receiving taxpayer support or will enact reforms that make further enforcement efforts unnecessary,” the letter said.
McMahon and Kennedy ask the university to respond to the letter within ten business days. So far, Duke has not responded to media requests for comment on the letter. In addition, CNN and other media outlets report HHS has frozen $108 million in funding for Duke Health.
The Duke Health investigation comes the same week that the Department of Education announced an investigation into diversity practices at Duke’s student-edited Law Journal.
Nearly 600 Duke employees volunteered to take buyouts offered earlier this year, as the Trump Administration began withholding federal higher education funding. Cuts at the National Institutes of Health, along with reductions in Medicare/Medicaid funding could cost the university $350-600 million a year. The Trump Administration is also making it harder for international students to study in the U.S. Foreign students are a significant revenue source for many universities, as they are ineligible for most financial aid and pay close to full tuition.
Duke administrators have told employees that layoffs will be necessary in addition to buyouts, but they have not said how many or in which departments. Laid off employees will be notified between August 5 and 19, according to a campus-wide email sent earlier this month.
