Justice Department Scrutinizes UC Faculty Diversity Hiring Practices

The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into the University of California system's hiring protocols to ascertain whether its faculty diversity initiatives contravene anti-discrimination statutes, according to a statement released on Thursday.

This inquiry represents the latest initiative by President Donald Trump's administration targeting higher education institutions, following its previous actions on campus antisemitism and attempts to halt research funding. The department's Civil Rights Division claims that the university's hiring practices factor in race and sex, prompting an investigation to evaluate their compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Harmeet Dhillion, leading the Civil Rights Division, highlighted the potential legal risks of race- and sex-based hiring strategies. The University of California system's representative did not immediately respond to inquiries. The investigation concerns the university's strategic objectives, including boosting underrepresented minority and female faculty, potentially igniting another legal standoff between the Trump administration and California, a known liberal stronghold.

(With inputs from agencies.)