President Donald Trump’s administration has released a survey on employment practices in the University of California (UC) system. This is the latest example of his feud with higher education.
The Justice Department said Thursday it would investigate the UC system’s efforts to increase staff diversity, accusing them of adopting a practice of “openly measuring new hires by race and gender.”
The Trump administration has previously portrayed diversity initiatives as a form of discrimination.
“Public employers are bound by federal laws that prohibit racial and other employment discrimination,” Hermet Dillion, head of the Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.
“Institutional directives using race and gender-based employment practices expose employers to legal risks under federal law.”
In a letter of notice to the University of California, the Department of Justice pointed out that there is a “reason to believe” on some school campuses. However, he added that it was not “conclusions about the subject of the investigation.”
The University of California System is one of the most prominent public university systems in the United States, with 10 campuses and over 299,000 registered students.
The school defended its employment practices on Thursday in response to an investigation announcement.
“The University of California is committed to a fair and legitimate process in all programs and activities, consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws,” a UC System spokesman said in a statement. “The University also aims to develop a campus environment where everyone is welcome and supported.”
President Trump has yet to consider an investigation, but his administration repeatedly clashed with American universities during his second term at the White House.
Honorable universities such as Harvard University and Columbia have cancelled federal grants and contracts over allegations that they have not done enough to crack down on campus protests against Israeli war in Gaza.
The Trump administration said these protests were anti-Semitic and created a dangerous environment for Jews on university campuses.
Trump and his allies portray the university as a breeding ground for leftist ideas and political opposition. In the case of Harvard University, the Trump administration sent a letter on April 11th with a list of requests for changes.
Harvard had to submit to an external audit of registrations and staff to assess “diversity of perspectives” with the aim of implementing “reform” in admissions and employment practices. External parties who focus on the letter must “satise the federal government.”
Harvard resisted these demands, citing the need to protect academic freedom. Since then, the Trump administration has sought to threaten tax-exempt status and limit the ability to register international students.
In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit to restore federal funds and block the Trump administration’s attempt to ban foreign students.
On Thursday, the school announced an agreement with the University of Toronto. This allowed foreign students to continue Harvard University research in Canada if Trump’s visa restrictions affected their ability to participate in classes.
Critics describe Trump’s actions as an effort to put pressure on the school to greater acclimatization with the White House’s political views and priorities.
One of the Trump administration’s specific flashpoints was its efforts to promote diversity in university employment and registration.
Supporters say these initiatives will help counter the legacy of discrimination in higher education, but the Trump administration has said they themselves are a form of discrimination.
At a press conference on Thursday, White House press chief Karoline Leavitt, who did not consider details of the UC investigation, reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to dismantling the diversity initiative.
“This president’s position wants to restore a society and culture based on the achievements of the United States, where people are not employed or promoted, based on their skin color and gender,” she said.
On the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order with the federal government to end “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) programming. He called these programs the source of “immeasurable public waste and shameful discrimination.”
However, critics argue that Trump’s efforts served as discrimination in their own form, violating the constitutional rights of those he opposes.
For example, the government attempted to deport several foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian activities on university campuses and raised free speech questions.
They include a Turkish alumni named Rumeysa Ozturk. He was arrested by immigration agents for co-written articles for the school newspaper in sought an end to the war in Gaza.
