Colleges Sever Ties With Organizations That Help People Of Color Amid Pressure From White House

Under pressure from the Trump administration, over 100 colleges and universities have cut ties with organizations supporting people of color.

Over 100 colleges and universities nationwide have severed partnerships with groups serving communities of color amid pressure from the Trump administration.

A new investigation by The Washington Post found that objections from the current administration to programs supporting scholars of color have led colleges to cut ties with several diversity-focused groups. Since last year, more than 100 schools have ended partnerships with the PhD Project, an initiative launched in 1994 to help diversify the pipeline of future business school professors.

The wave of canceled partnerships follows investigations launched last March by the U.S. Department of Education into 45 universities tied to the group. On Feb. 19, officials said 31 schools had reached agreements to resolve the probes, pledging to review any affiliations with organizations that limit participation based on race and either end those partnerships or justify keeping them.

“It’s terrible,” said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president at The Education Trust, an advocacy group focused on equity in education. He added that programs like the PhD Project help open doors to academia and foster a sense of belonging for students from historically underrepresented communities.

“There is no evidence that students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds lose access or opportunity,” he added.

Among the partnerships being cut, the California State University system told federal officials that one campus plans to end its affiliation with The Links, Incorporated, a historic service organization of Black women. Clemson University said it dropped its relationship with Field Inclusive, which supports scientists from marginalized communities, citing race-based membership discounts, and the University of Kentucky reported flagging roughly 1,200 memberships and partnerships for cancellation or further review.

The PhD Project said it has opened its conference to students of all racial backgrounds interested in pursuing business doctorates. However, it remains unclear how many additional partnerships could be affected by the federal agreements. Some universities say talks with the U.S. Department of Education are ongoing as they continue reviewing affiliations.

Jason Thatcher, now an information systems professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, said the PhD Project provided vital support when he was a doctoral student at Florida State University, helping him navigate the isolation he felt while completing his dissertation.

“I hope that the PhD Project and other organizations like it will be afforded the opportunity to support other people like me,” he said. “My hope is that universities and The PhD Project will find new ways to partner and support students.”