US Education, Health Departments Investigate Duke University for Racial Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services have launched investigations into Duke University and Duke Law Journal over allegations of racial discrimination violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The probe focuses on claims that Duke's law journal selection process gave preferential treatment based on race and ethnicity, including extra points for affinity group leadership and mentions of race, which has sparked concerns about illegal race preferences in admissions, hiring, and scholarships. Education Secretary Linda McMahon and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. jointly demanded Duke create a “Merit and Civil Rights Committee” to oversee reforms and comply with federal civil rights laws, emphasizing that federal funding must support meritocracy rather than race-based preferences. This investigation follows similar federal scrutiny of Harvard University and Harvard Law Review, indicating a broader government effort to challenge race-based policies at prestigious academic institutions. Duke University has not commented on the investigations, which have ignited debates over civil rights, academic freedom, and government intervention in university policies. The Trump administration has framed these probes as necessary to uphold constitutional and civil rights laws, ensuring excellence in education without racial preferences.