Clemson worked to support BIPOC PhD candidates. Now it’s accused of civil right violations
Clemson University is under investigation for alleged civil rights violations, the U.S. Department of Education announced Friday.
The department’s Office for Civil Rights is looking into 45 public and private universities, including Clemson and schools like Duke University, Vanderbilt University and the University of Arkansas, for supposedly engaging in “race-exclusionary practices” within their graduate programs, according to a news release. It could result in the loss of federal funds.
The accused institutions allegedly violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin, by partnering with The Ph.D. Project. The Ph.D. project is an award-winning nonprofit organization that aims to increases the talent pool in the business world by supporting underrepresented students in business Ph.D. programs.
The investigation follows a Feb. 14 letter to all educational institutions receiving federal funding that required them to end all race-based programming, scholarships and activities.
“The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in the release. “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment.”
The university received notice of the investigation, Clemson spokesman Joe Galbraith said
“We have begun gathering information regarding the issue and will work closely with the DOE and OCR to provide a response,” Galbraith said. “Clemson is committed to ensuring compliance with all federal, local and state regulations.”
Six schools are also under investigation for “impermissible race-based scholarships and race-based segregation,” the Education Department said. None are in South Carolina.
This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 1:23 PM.
