The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into George Mason University over allegations that the school has engaged in discriminatory hiring practices related to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
According to a DOJ press release, the investigation stems from internal university communications as well as public statements made by university president Gregory Washington, which suggest that race and sex have been used as motivating factors in hiring, promotion, and tenure decisions to meet certain “diversity” targets. Emails and internal documents reportedly indicate preferential treatment for specific racial and gender groups in employment decisions.
As a result, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, through its Employment Litigation Section, is investigating whether the university is “engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.”
“It is unlawful and un-American to deny equal access to employment opportunities on the basis of race and sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When employers screen out qualified candidates from the hiring process, they not only erode trust in our public institutions—they violate the law, and the Justice Department will investigate accordingly.”
Earlier this year, George Mason University renamed its DEI office to the “Office of Access, Compliance, and Community.” At the time, Washington said the rebranding was not an attempt to circumvent compliance concerns, but rather an effort to address how the DEI label is perceived.
“The fact of the matter is, ‘DEI’ and ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ are terms that have become so broadly misunderstood and misapplied as to become counterproductive to our work,” Washington argued.
