Latest news with #VI
Fox News
2 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
HHS pulls millions from Duke under Trump DEI order, alleging race-based hiring at health arm
FIRST ON FOX: Duke Health, the medical arm of Duke University in North Carolina, is seeing more than $100 million in federal funding frozen in compliance with President Donald Trump's executive order prohibiting DEI practices. In a letter to Duke President Vincent Price, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Adam Silver, and School of Medicine Dean Mary Klotman, Secretaries Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Linda McMahon outlined that racial preferences in hiring, student admissions, governance and patient care "betray" the mission of American health care and "endanger human lives." "The United States invests in medical care and research because of the sacredness of human life and value of human health," the letter read. "There is arguably no other area of our educational system where the rejection of merit is more dangerous than in medicine, where the competence of doctors means the difference between life and death for patients, and where scientific discovery is the difference between life-saving cures and the ravages of disease." Kennedy and McMahon said their respective agencies have been investigating allegations that Duke Health's practices may be violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the ObamaCare law. Therefore, the secretaries said, the situation "render[s] Duke Health unfit for any further financial relationship with the federal government." A senior administration official told Fox News Digital the ultimate amount of the frozen funding is $108 million. The Civil Rights Act code cited prohibits recipients of financial assistance from denying benefits or discriminating against individuals based on race, color or national origin. The Affordable Care Act section cited extends health care protections for federal funding that forbid the aforementioned discrimination; adding the fields of disability, age and sex. Duke Health allegedly engaged in "illegal and wrongful racial preferences and discriminatory activity in recruitment, student admissions, scholarships and financial aid, mentoring and enrichment programs, hiring, promotion, and more," according to Kennedy and McMahon. They called such racism "vile" and said it "hides behind a smug superiority" that "such [so-called] 'benefitted' races cannot compete under merit-based consideration." "Affirmative action undermines America's commitment to merit-based justice and violates the nation's civil rights laws. In the medical context, this illegal preferencing also breaks faith with patients, hinders medical discovery, and jeopardizes human life and health." The feds kept the door open to future partnerships with Duke, noting the school and hospital has long had a commitment to medical excellence and would prefer to see it "repair these problems." In order to return to good standing, Duke Health must review all policies and procedures in terms of illegal use of race preference, take immediate action and provide verifiable assurances to Washington that the medical unit will operate in "good faith" oncemore. "If the alleged offending policies, practices, and programs are found to exist and remain unrectified after six months, or if at any time the Merit and Civil Rights Committee and federal government reach an impasse, the federal government will commence enforcement proceedings as appropriate," the secretaries warned in closing. Fox News Digital reached out to Duke via Price's office and also solicited comment from Silver via his day job as NBA commissioner.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Dept. of Education launches investigation into Duke University over alleged racial preferences
The Department of Education announced on Monday that it is launching an investigation into Duke University and Duke Law Journal over alleged racial biases in selecting new editors. The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) cited reports that the Law Journal circulated a packet to school "affinity groups" in 2024 regarding the application process to join the Journal in the new year. Each applicant was asked to write a 12-page memo analyzing an appellate court decision and a 500-word personal statement which would be judged on a points-based grading system along with their first-year GPA. However, applicants from these "affinity groups" were reportedly given the opportunity to receive extra points if their statements referenced their "race or ethnicity" and up to 10 points for describing how their "membership in an underrepresented group" promoted "diverse voices." The OCR believes that this action could be a potential violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "If Duke illegally gives preferential treatment to law journal or medical school applicants based on those students' immutable characteristics, that is an affront not only to civil rights law, but to the meritocratic character of academic excellence," Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. "Blatantly discriminatory practices that are illegal under the Constitution, antidiscrimination law, and Supreme Court precedent have become all too common in our educational institutions. The Trump Administration will not allow them to continue." McMahon, along with Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., sent a joint letter to Duke University requesting the school "review all policies and practices at Duke Health for the illegal use of race preferences, take immediate action to reform all of those that unlawfully take account of race or ethnicity to bestow benefits or advantages, and provide clear and verifiable assurances to the government that Duke's new policies will be implemented faithfully going forward—including by making all necessary organizational, leadership, and personnel changes to ensure the necessary reforms will be durable." The department is also requesting Duke University set up a "Merit and Civil Rights Committee" to help resolve further civil rights violations. Fox News Digital reached out to Duke University and Duke Law Journal for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Duke University has come under fire multiple times for racial preferences and pushes for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the past year. Last year, Fox News Digital reported on a 2021 plan titled "Dismantling Racism and Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Medicine" for Duke Medical School. The guide called out standards such as dress codes, timeliness and individualism as examples of "White supremacy culture." Dr. Kendall Conger also told Fox News Digital in 2024 that he was fired from Duke University's health system after speaking against the university's pledge against racism, which called racism a "public health crisis." "It wasn't so much a pledge to better medicine, but a pledge to left-wing ideology. And so, I felt if I did not say anything, I was giving tacit approval to what was in the pledge," Conger said at the time.
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sinar Daily
MRSM Balik Pulau clinches first-ever Super Schools Rugby title, dethrones VI
The high-stakes showdown kept supporters from both sides on edge, as MRSM Balik Pulau trailed for much of the match before staging a decisive late-game surge. The team lifted the Tan Sri Wan Aziz Challenge Trophy and took back RM15,000, while VI earned RM7,000 as runners-up. Photo source: MRSM Balik Pulau SHAH ALAM – MRSM Balik Pulau made history as the first MRSM school to win the Super Schools Rugby (SSR) title, edging two-time champions Victoria Institution (VI) 14-13 in a tense final at Putrajaya Equestrian Park on July 27. The high-stakes showdown kept supporters from both sides on edge, as MRSM Balik Pulau trailed for much of the match before staging a decisive late-game surge. MRSM Balik Pulau became the first MRSM school to win the SSR title, narrowly defeating Victoria Institution 14-13 in the final. Photo source: MRSM Balik Pulau Mohd Firdaus Zolkfli scored both tries for MRSM Balik Pulau, including the crucial second try in the closing stages. Conversions from Zaim Irsyaduddin Hezrey Fardhilla and Aqil Zikry Abdul Malek sealed the win. Firdaus was named the Milo Grand Final Most Valuable Player and also received the Pos Malaysia Best Forward award. Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi declared a nationwide MRSM holiday on Monday. Photo source: MRSM Balik Pulau The team lifted the Tan Sri Wan Aziz Challenge Trophy and took home RM15,000, while VI earned RM7,000 as runners-up. "They gave everything today. This win is years of hard work paying off,' head coach Izzuwan Sukri was reported saying. In celebration, Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi declared a nationwide MRSM holiday on Monday. SSR, organised by Evervive Sdn Bhd, is in its 10th season, with SMS Hulu Selangor and Malay College Kuala Kangsar completing the top four. More Like This
The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
MRSM Balik Pulau get landmark win over two-time champs VI
A narrow 14-13 victory over two-time champion Victoria Institution in the thrilling Grand Final action made history for MRSM Balik Pulau as they emerged Super Schools Rugby champion for the first time. PETALING JAYA: MRSM Balik Pulau created history as the first team from the MRSM (Maktab Rendah Sains Mara) network to win the Super Schools Rugby championship after defeating two-time champions Victoria Institution (VI) by a narrow 14-13 decision in a tight final at the Putrajaya Equestrian Park. Mohd Firdaus Zolkfli's second try at the end of the match, followed by an earlier crucial conversions by Zaim Irsyaduddin Hezrey Fardhilla and Aqil Zikry Abdul Malek, was the difference between victory and defeat. Apart from lifting the Tan Sri Wan Aziz Challenge Cup, MRSM Balik Pulau also took home RM15,000 as champions while VI received RM7,000 as finalists. The other two teams that completed the top four were SMS Hulu Selangor and Malay College Kuala Kangsar.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
MRSM Balik Pulau deny VI in thrilling SSR final
KUALA LUMPUR: MRSM Balik Pulau (MRSM BP) created history after becoming the first MRSM school to win the Super Schools Rugby (SSR) title yesterday (July 27). MRSM BP edged two-time winners Victoria Institution (VI) 14-13 in a nail-biting grand final which had fans from both teams on the edge of their seats at the Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya field. MRSM BP trailed for much of the match but made it count when it mattered in the business end of the final. Firdaus Zolkfli, who scored both MRSM BP's tries, was named Milo Grand Final Most Valuable Player and also took the Pos Malaysia Best Forward award. MRSM BP lifted the Tan Sri Wan Aziz Challenge Trophy and also walked away with RM15,000 prize money. VI took home RM7,000 for their efforts. It was an emotional victory for MRSM BP head coach Izzuwan Sukri who praised his players for their dedication and fighting spirit. "I'm incredibly proud of my boys. They left everything out there today (July 27). This win is the result of years of hard work," said Izzuwan. "I want to express appreciation to the MARA management for their unwavering support in developing rugby within the MRSM system. We have proven that nothing is impossible." SMS Hulu Selangor and Malay College Kuala Kangsar were the other two semi-finalists this season. SSR, organised by Evervive Sdn Bhd, is in its 10th season this year.
