The Trump administration is investigating Duke University over allegations that the school has violated the Civil Rights Act.
The Education Department and the Department of Health and Human Services said they will investigate whether Duke and its law journal violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
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The letter sent to Duke from Education Secretary Linda McMahon and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “Serious allegations of systemic racial discrimination permeating the operations of Duke University School of Medicine and other components of Duke Health.”
The letter “outlines expectations for a partnership-style pathway for Duke to work with HHS and the Department of Education to swiftly uncover prohibited race-based discrimination in Duke Health and come into compliance with certain Federal civil rights laws.”
They alleged the school has used race-based discrimination to pick law journal members. According to the secretaries, applicants to the Duke Law Journal could receive extra points for describing their experience in a minority group.
“We are making it clear that federal funding must support excellence — not race — in medical education, research, and training,” Kennedy said in a statement.
Kennedy noted that he and McMahon requested that Duke form a “Merit and Civil Rights Committee” to work with the administration.
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So far, Duke has indicated that it is not willing to settle with the Trump administration as other prestigious universities have, according to CNN. Columbia University settled for $220 million with the administration to restore funding.
The Trump administration opened a similar investigation into Harvard University’s law journal. The administration is currently involved in multiple legal battles with Harvard.