Written by AP Education Writer Colin Biinkley
Washington (AP) According to a person familiar with the situation, the Trump administration is blocking $108 million in research money for Duke University because the federal government claims the university engaged in racial discrimination through affirmative action.
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The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose internal discussions, claimed that the National Institutes of Health had stopped funding the private university in North Carolina. The Education Department and the Department of Health and Human Services together wrote a letter earlier this week accusing Duke of using racial advantages in admissions and hiring.
As the government looks into claims of antisemitism and diversity, equality, and inclusion practices that the administration claims are illegal, Duke is the most recent university to have its federal funds suspended. It follows other probes, such as those at Cornell, Columbia, and Harvard.
Duke refrained from commenting right away.
HHS and Education Department chiefs accused Duke of egregious racism in a letter sent to the university on Monday. It makes reference to claims of racial bias at Duke, its medical school, and its health system, which, if proven true, would disqualify Duke from receiving any more funding from the federal government.
Duke is accused in the letter of offering racial preferences in hiring, scholarships, admissions, recruiting, and other areas. It makes reference to claims of discrimination without providing concrete instances.
According to the letter, which was signed by Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., racism is a plague when it is perpetrated by individuals but is particularly destructive when it is institutionalized in the country’s most prestigious and esteemed institutions.
It is a component of a larger effort to end DEI practices, which the Trump administration characterizes as discrimination against Asian Americans and White people.
The agencies’ letter directs Duke to stop any racialized benefits or advantages activities inside its health system.
The letter takes the unprecedented step of asking for a new Merit and Civil Rights Committee that would be authorized by the school’s board of trustees and recognized by the government, stating that Duke is unlikely to be able to conduct an honest and reliable review. The panel’s job would be to find and eliminate any racial preferences. The letter stated that the government would seek legal enforcement if issues persisted after six months.
Allegations that the Duke Law Journal favored aspiring editors from underrepresented groups prompted the Education Department to launch an investigation into the publication on Monday.
The Trump administration has attempted to change institutions that President Donald Trump has characterized as liberal hotbeds by using government research funds as leverage. For institutions that depend heavily on federal grants for funding, it has created a crisis, leading some to take on debt and look for alternative methods to finance their own research.
According to the university’s website, Duke University spent $1.5 billion on research last year, with about 60% of the money coming from federal sources.
Duke was already having financial difficulties prior to the most recent funding suspension. University officials announced last week that although over 600 workers had agreed to voluntary buyouts, layoffs would still be necessary. In light of the uncertainties surrounding government research funding and a potential increase in the university’s federal endowment tax, officials stated that they had to cut expenses.
In an effort to reach agreements like the one Columbia University inked last week, the Trump administration has been increasing pressure on academic institutions. In exchange for restoring access to federal money, the Ivy League school agreed to pay $200 million and implement improvements to hiring, admissions, student discipline, and other areas. Even while it fights the White House in court, Harvard has been in discussions with the government and has called it a model for other universities.
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