USF faces investigation over race-based doctoral fellowship program
The Department of Education is conducting a federal investigation on USF over a “race-based” doctoral fellowship program that the agency said violates the Civil Rights Act.
The letter sent to USF is aimed at the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program, which was established in 1984 and awards funding to African American and Hispanic graduate students.
The Department of Education said the program “restricts” students’ access to graduate funding on a racial basis.
A complaint regarding the program was filed to the department on March 13, 2023, but the agency notified USF of its intent to move forward with an investigation on Friday through the letter.
The investigation comes just one month after the Department of Education warned institutions across the country against considering race in admissions, scholarships, housing and other “aspects of student, academic, and campus life.”
It is part of a broader attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at colleges and universities, according to the Associated Press.
USF spokesperson Ryan Hughes said the university is “reviewing” the letter issued on Friday.
Hughes said the university will “fully cooperate” with the investigation and work with state and federal governments “to comply with all guidance, policies and laws.”
“[The] McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program [is] a longstanding program that is offered at numerous colleges and universities in Florida and is permitted under state law,” he said.
The fellowship is offered at nine universities in Florida, including Florida State University and the University of Central Florida.
Some USF pages for the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program were taken down, though the link for the program and application portal can still be accessed through the graduate studies fellowships page.
Related: USF is deleting webpages with DEI content
Besides USF, five other universities were notified on Friday that they will be investigated for participating in “impermissible race-based scholarships.”
Forty-five other schools are also facing scrutiny for their work with the Ph.D Project, a nonprofit organization that seeks to expand and diversify the business pool.
The letter warns USF, that as an institution which receives federal funding, it must comply with the Civil Rights Act.
USF must send documents ranging from positional information to legal justifications for the fellowship to the department’s Office for Civil Rights by the end of the month, according to the letter.
The investigation will consider whether USF “discriminates against students on the basis of race” by “participating in, and/or partnering with the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship.”
“Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. “We will not yield on this commitment.”
It comes just four days after a letter was sent warning 60 universities, including USF, of antisemitic discrimination and harassment.
Related: USF under federal investigation for antisemitic discrimination
Adriana Novoa, a history professor at USF, teaches classes revolving around gender, race and culture. Novoa said “it’s not very clear” how the letter will play out.
“The problem with this is that the university can lose [federal] funding,” Novoa said. “If you lose funding, basically the university cannot do the work.”
Novoa said federal funding is not the only loss the university could face.
As DEI is being assessed, race and gender are sensitive topics that can result in federal repercussions for the university, Novoa said.
“The effect will be that students will not be able to have [classes] that address these issues because it is threatening [for USF],” Novoa said.
General education in Florida has already been through a round of changes. In fall 2024, classes surrounding “systemic racism” and “oppression theories” were removed as options to fulfill general education requirements.
Related: USF to remove courses on systemic racism, oppression theories from gen ed curriculum
Novoa said the letter limits the university in what it can provide students with in their curriculum.
As a result, she said professors would have less freedom in what they teach and extend to students in their classrooms.
“I cannot do anything that might be interpreted as racial,” Novoa said.
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