The Justice Department has launched a formal investigation into the University of California system over race- and sex-based hiring policies, escalating federal scrutiny of campus diversity programs.
At a Glance
- The DOJ alleges UC’s hiring goals may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
- The UC 2030 Capacity Plan emphasized boosting minority and female faculty hires.
- Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon is overseeing the civil rights probe.
- UC leaders claim full legal compliance and vow to cooperate with investigators.
- The probe is part of a broader federal campaign targeting DEI in higher education.
Title VII Showdown in the Golden State
The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights inquiry into the University of California’s hiring strategy, citing “reasonable cause” to believe its faculty recruitment under the UC 2030 Capacity Plan may constitute unlawful discrimination. The plan, which aimed to increase minority and female hires systemwide, is now under scrutiny for allegedly establishing de facto hiring quotas that could violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The investigation was announced in a formal letter issued by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, now led by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, as first reported by the Daily Signal.
Watch a report: US Justice Dept to probe hiring practices at University of California
UC Pushes Back as Probe Expands
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, UC officials maintain that their practices fully comply with state and federal anti-discrimination laws. However, the investigation now includes multiple campuses, and demands from the DOJ include the release of internal documents, emails, and hiring metrics that could support the case for unlawful demographic targeting.
Political Shockwave for DEI Agendas
This action marks the latest front in a broader federal crackdown on DEI efforts, mirroring recent developments such as the resignation of the University of Virginia’s president amid diversity disputes. That case, covered in the Wall Street Journal, echoed similar concerns about race-conscious hiring in public education. Critics of UC’s plan argue that such policies amount to unconstitutional quotas, while supporters defend them as essential to redressing historic faculty underrepresentation.
What’s Next
The DOJ could compel the University of California to amend or abandon aspects of the UC 2030 Capacity Plan. Legal consequences may include civil rights litigation, administrative penalties, or mandated policy rewrites. With the Biden-era emphasis on diversity now sharply reversed, the UC case may set a defining precedent in the national battle over identity-driven hiring in higher education.
