The investigation follows a Dear Colleague Letter issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights on February 14, which reiterated that educational institutions receiving federal funding must eliminate the use of race-based preferences and stereotypes in admissions, hiring, scholarships, and other programs.

OCR is conducting the investigations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race, color, and national origin discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon issued a written statement regarding the investigations.

“The department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination,” she said. “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin.”

UAB is one of six universities identified for alleged involvement in impermissible race-based scholarship practices. OCR also launched a broader investigation into 45 other universities for alleged race-based exclusion in graduate programs and one additional university for allegedly operating a segregated student program.

If the investigations determine that these institutions violated Title VI, they could face corrective measures, including the potential loss of federal funding. The Department of Education has also issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) to provide further clarification regarding compliance expectations.

The investigation into UAB is part of a larger federal effort to assess whether universities are aligning their policies with legal requirements against race-based discrimination. The results of these investigations may have significant implications for how universities structure scholarship programs and other student support initiatives in the future.

Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].