UW-Madison under second investigation by Trump administration amid federal DEI crackdown
The department said Friday it had opened an investigation into UW-Madison and 44 other universities nationwide over alleged racial discrimination. The notifications came exactly a month after the department issued sweeping guidance threatening to pull funding from colleges that do not eliminate all considerations of race from policies and programs.
The investigation focuses on universities' partnerships with the PhD Project, a nonprofit promoting diversity in the workforce by helping underrepresented students earn doctoral degrees in business. The department said the program limits eligibility based on race, and colleges partnering with the organization are engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.
'Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin,' Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. 'We will not yield on this commitment."
UW-Madison had not yet been formally notified of any complaint related to the PhD Project, university spokesperson John Lucas said Friday shortly before noon. If a complaint is received, the university will cooperate with any investigation.
The PhD Project did not immediately return a request for comment.
The department warned UW-Madison and dozens of other institutions on Monday about potential enforcement action it may take if they fail to protect Jewish students. UW-Madison was put on the list because of an investigation opened in early 2024 after a conservative news outlet filed a complaint.
Both warnings are part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on higher education. Columbia University has become the poster child, seeing $400 million in grants and contracts canceled. The administration has also attempted to deport Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil. He is a legal permanent resident who took a leadership role in the pro-Palestinian protests at the university last year.
The education department slashed half of its staff earlier this week. That included at least 243 employees in the Office of Civil Rights, which enforces the antidiscrimination laws at the heart of the UW-Madison investigations.
Gov. Tony Evers joined other states Thursday in suing over the department cuts. They argue the gutting of the department effectively prevents it from carrying out responsibilities it is charged to do by Congress.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
Kelly Meyerhofer covers higher education in Wisconsin. Contact her at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: University of Wisconsin-Madison under federal investigation over DEI
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
a minute ago
- Bloomberg
Gaza Truce Talks Falter Amid Escalating Humanitarian Crisis
Hagar Chemali, Greenwich Media Strategies founder, breaks down the recent blow dealt to Gaza peace talks as Israel and the US withdrew their representatives from the negotiations. She also talks France's move to recognize a Palestinian state and why it may come too late to make an impact. (Source: Bloomberg)
Miami Herald
30 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
France will recognize Palestinian statehood. How many countries already do?
France will become the latest country to recognize Palestinian statehood — joining most of the rest of the world. 'Consistent with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,' French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a statement posted on X on July 24. Macron, founder of the centrist Renaissance Party, said he will make the official announcement during the United Nations General Assembly, which will take place in New York in September. He also reiterated his call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, where nearly 60,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel's war against Hamas and millions more face famine, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Many attempting to get food have been killed by Israeli forces, the U.N. human rights office said. 'This move is a victory for the Palestinian cause,' Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a statement. 'It reflects France's genuine commitment to supporting the Palestinian people…' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu denounced Macron's move, writing on X, 'A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it.' The U.S. government echoed this sentiment. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Macron's announcement a 'reckless decision' that 'only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace.' How many countries recognize state of Palestine? France will now join the vast majority of nations — with some notable exceptions — in formally acknowledging the state of Palestine. As of June 2024, 146 of the 193 U.N. member states, or 74%, had recognized Palestine as a sovereign nation. Palestine was officially declared as a state in 1988 by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). As its territory, it claims the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and parts of 'historic Palestine' occupied by Israel starting in 1967, per the U.N. Following this declaration, many countries quickly recognized Palestinian statehood, including China, Russia and India, according to the Washington Post. Over time, most governments of South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia moved to do the same, according to the World Population Review. The most recent nations to recognize the state of Palestine were Spain, Ireland and Norway, which did so in 2024 amid Israel's war in Gaza. However, the U.S. and many of its western allies — including the U.K., Canada, Germany, Japan and Australia — have refrained from formally acknowledging Palestine as a nation. France's decision, though — making it the only G7 nation to recognize Palestine — could spark a change in other western countries, policymakers and experts have said. 'For a 'European heavyweight' such as France to recognize Palestinian statehood sends a 'clear signal to the United States, Israel and the international community that what's going on in Gaza is unacceptable and that there has to be a diplomatic way out of this crisis,'' Shahram Akbarzadeh, nonresident senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told the Washington Post. 'It's very likely now that [the United Kingdom] will do the same thing. That is where we are heading,' a senior U.K. lawmaker told the Financial Times. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer released a statement on July 24, saying, 'The suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible.' He added that 'statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people,' though he stopped short of saying he would move to formally recognize the state of Palestine. International recognition alone, though, will not change the situation on the ground; it's not a 'magic wand' that can achieve a two-state solution, according to the Associated Press. But, it could shift the global conversation.
New York Post
30 minutes ago
- New York Post
Columbia's $200M payout: Letters to the Editor — July 26, 2025
The Issue: Columbia University's $220 settlement agreement with the Trump administration. Columbia University's sudden remorse for its failure to protect Jewish students and faculty members on campus is akin to a known felon who feigns sorrow when caught committing a criminal act ('The Ivy League schooled,' July 24). Only when President Trump's administration threatened to withhold grant support and hold its leadership accountable did Columbia express regret. Remaining silent while antisemites were given free rein on campus speaks volumes. As Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel noted: 'Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.' S.P. Hersh Lawrence It was certainly encouraging to read about the agreement reached by the Trump administration and Columbia University. However, until the true source of this rot is removed, I fear it will be of limited success. There are many ideologically committed members of Columbia University's administration, teaching and admissions bureaucracy who will continue to spread their vile messages of hate. These people must be removed as well, tenured or not. John Mancuso Naples, Fla. While Columbia University announced that scores of students have been disciplined, and even expelled, we know of no professors who have been punished. It makes no sense to punish students while radical professors — the source of their antisemitism — remain employed at Columbia to indoctrinate future students. Seymour Cohen Manhattan Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Shai Davidai is spot on when he says that the $200 million crackdown on Columbia University is just a start ('Hate Abates?' July 24). The real villains here are Columbia University's radical professors, who manipulated and encouraged their clueless student-puppets into braying antisemitism and anti-American propaganda. Sadly, most of these faculty members will holler about the First Amendment, as they hide behind their tenure. Going forward, Columbia University needs a program to specifically address this hateful ideology when it occurs among its professors and instructors. Frank Olivieri North Ft. Myers, Fla. It appears that Columbia University has finally gotten the courage to discipline anti-Israel students who created chaos and harassed Jewish students mercilessly. Maybe Jewish students at Columbia can have some peace this coming semester, although that is highly doubtful if Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor. J.J. Levine Miami Beach, Fla. The Issue: The city Department of Education's failing 'restorative justice' discipline policies. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters New York City always thinks throwing more money at the problem is the answer (' 'Restorative' Nonsense,' Editorial, July 25). Kids put in timeout for serious school incidents take it as a joke, and the disruption caused by their selfish behavior only hurts the students who want an education. The Department of Education needs to impose stricter consequences for those students who disrupt classroom learning. Joseph Valente Staten Island Since the 1960s, we've seen discipline worsen in our public schools, due to the acceptance of liberal policies. It is long past time to begin a no-toleration policy for poor behavior. Right now, parents must consent before their child is placed in a special-education class. With proper documentation, this must change. Ed Greenspan Brooklyn Want to weigh in on today's stories? Send your thoughts (along with your full name and city of residence) to letters@ Letters are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy, and style.
