Several universities in our region are facing an investigation by the federal Department of Education for their participation in a program aimed at helping underrepresented students earn advanced degrees. At issue is the universities鈥� partnership with the nonprofit organization , which helps students of color and other underrepresented groups earn doctoral degrees in business. The education department鈥檚 Office of Civil Rights said the program 鈥� which focuses on Black, Latino, and Native American students 鈥� is pushing 鈥渞ace-exclusionary practices.鈥�
These investigations come a month after the Office of Civil Rights sent a letter to universities warning them to stop using 鈥渞ace-based preferences鈥� in admissions, hiring, training, financial aid, and other aspects of university life or risk losing federal funding.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is among the . It declined to comment, but issued a statement saying three former UNLV professors participated in the program. The school added that it is committed to and will 鈥減rovide equality of educational and employment opportunities鈥� for all.
Boise State University in Idaho, another school also named in the investigation, said in a statement that it is working with its legal counsel to review the situation.
The other Mountain West schools named in the investigation are the University of Utah, the University of Wyoming, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio (KNPR) in Las Vegas, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .