Feds order Duke University to address alleged racial discrimination

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is launching an investigation into Duke University and the Duke Law Journal (DLJ) on Monday for allegedly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

In July, the DLJ sparked controversy after reports emerged that confidential memos were sent to minority applicants, offering personalized advice on improving their personal statements, potentially giving them an advantage over other students. 

In a letter to Duke University President Vincent Price, DHHS Secretary Robert Kennedy and Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized the importance of merit-based admissions, particularly in the field of medicine. 

“Racial preferences in hiring, student admissions, governance, patient care, and other operations betray that mission and endanger human lives,” reads the letter. “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.” 

The letter accuses Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Health of engaging in illegal racial preferences and discriminatory practices. 

“Duke University School of Medicine and other components of Duke Health are engaged in practices that, if true, would violate Titles VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, and render Duke Health unfit for any further financial relationship with the federal government,” writes Kennedy and McMahon. “Our Departments have historically recognized Duke’s commitment to medical excellence and would prefer to partner with Duke to uncover and repair these problems, rather than terminate this relationship. That said, the concern is pressing and dire, for the sake of not only the law, but patient health.” 

Both Secretaries urge the university to review all policies for unlawful race-based preferences, promptly reform any that violate the law, and provide clear assurances, including leadership or staffing changes, that future compliance will be upheld. The university has six months to implement these changes. 

“HHS is making it clear: Federal funding must support excellence—not race—in medical education, research, and training,” said HHS Secretary Kennedy. “Today, Secretary McMahon and I are calling on Duke to address serious allegations of racial discrimination by forming a Merit and Civil Rights Committee to work with the Federal government to uphold civil rights and merit-based standards at Duke Health.” 

“Feds order Duke University to address alleged racial discrimination” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.