July 29, 2025
The Justice Department has initiated an investigation into the Faculty Senate of a prominent university following their endorsement of the university president, emphasizing the belief that “diversity is our strength,” as reported by a leading news outlet.
Officials from the DOJ have requested copies of a resolution passed by the faculty in support of President Gregory Washington, who is currently under scrutiny from multiple federal agencies regarding the institution’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Additionally, the DOJ seeks to review communications among the Faculty Senate members involved in drafting the resolution, as well as their correspondence with the president’s office.
The university’s board is scheduled to evaluate the president’s performance in an upcoming meeting, raising concerns among faculty members about the possibility of Washington’s removal from his position.
Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the civil rights division at the DOJ, expressed in a letter to the university that the Senate’s resolution raised alarms due to its commendation of Washington’s efforts to enhance faculty and staff diversity to mirror the student demographic.
According to the news report, Dhillon stated that “this suggests the Faculty Senate is endorsing President Washington’s approach to hiring based on race or gender to achieve specific demographic targets among faculty and staff.”
In a broader context, some experts question whether higher education can continuously evolve as a product, as noted by Scott M. Reznick.
As discussions around diversity and inclusion continue to unfold, the implications of such investigations may have lasting effects on the academic landscape.