BUZZ
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. Department of Education found George Mason University in violation of federal law for using race and other characteristics in its hiring and promotion processes, leading to a proposed Resolution Agreement.
- The agreement mandates GMU to commit publicly to nondiscrimination, issue a personal apology from the president, revise hiring materials to eliminate race-based preferences, and provide compliance training for relevant personnel.
- The investigation into GMU was initiated after multiple complaints from faculty regarding 'Equity Advisors' recruiting based on race and sex, prompting scrutiny of the university's DEI policies.
The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that George Mason University violated federal law by considering race and other characteristics when hiring and promoting staff.
The Office for Civil Rights sent GMU a proposed Resolution Agreement addressing the violations of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It gave the school 10 days to comply voluntarily, according to a department news release.
“In 2020, University President Gregory Washington called for expunging the so-called ‘racist vestiges’ from GMU’s campus. Without a hint of self awareness, President Washington then waged a university-wide campaign to implement unlawful DEI policies that intentionally discriminate on the basis of race. You can’t make this up,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said.
However, he also said the school “now has the opportunity” to resolve this issue through the agreement
“In the last seven months, this much is clear: The Trump-McMahon Department of Education will not allow racially exclusionary practices—which violate the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Protection Clause, and Supreme Court precedent—to continue corrupting our nation’s educational institutions,” he said.
The department’s proposed agreement requires GMU to publicly commit to nondiscrimination in hiring, promotion, and tenure, including a personal apology from the president.
GMU must post this statement online, remove conflicting guidance, and revise policies and hiring materials to eliminate race-based preferences.
It must also provide annual Title VI compliance training for “all individuals involved in and responsible for recruitment, hiring, promotion, and tenure decisions.”
Further, the deal requires GMU to keep detailed records of its compliance and designate a coordinator to oversee implementation with OCR.
In a statement Friday, the school’s Board of Visitors said it is reviewing the steps outlined in the resolution.
“We will continue to respond fully and cooperatively to all inquiries from the Department of Education, the Department of Justice and the U.S. House of Representatives and evaluate the evidence that comes to light,” the board stated.
“Our sole focus is our fiduciary duty to serve the best interests of the University and the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” it stated.
The department launched an investigation into the school’s practices and policies in July after it received multiple complaints from professors, The College Fix previously reported.
The professors cited “Equity Advisors” who work in every department to recruit faculty based, in part, on their “race, sex, and other characteristics,” according to a July news release from the Education Department.
