Doj Investigating George Mason University's Hiring Practices Over Alleged Discrimination

The Justice Department is investigating whether George Mason University (GMU) engaged successful discriminatory hiring practices. According to nan department, it is focused connected determining whether GMU violated Title VII of nan Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from discriminating based connected race, color, religion, activity aliases nationalist origin.

"It is unlawful and un-American to contradict adjacent entree to employment opportunities connected nan ground of title and sex," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of nan Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said successful a statement. "When employers surface retired qualified candidates from nan hiring process, they not only erode spot successful our nationalist institutions—they break nan law, and nan Justice Department will analyse accordingly."

Statue of George Mason connected field of George Mason University, Fairfax, Va. (Robert Knopes/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

DOJ INVESTIGATING MINNESOTA HIRING PRACTICES IN LATEST CLASH WITH WALZ

In a missive to GMU Board of Visitors Rector Charles "Cully" Stimson, Dhillon wrote that nan DOJ has "reason to believe" that title and activity were utilized arsenic "motivating factors successful module hiring decisions" nether GMU President Gregory Washington.

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Dhillon stated that connected July 23, 2020, Washington emailed a GMU module listserv successful which he said he planned to create a process for "renewal promotion and tenure" that would use "faculty of colour and women." Furthermore, Washington allegedly besides said successful nan email that he aimed to "develop circumstantial mechanisms successful nan promotion and tenure process that admit nan invisible and uncredited affectional labour that group of colour expend to learn, teach, discover, and activity connected campus."

"I person authorized a afloat investigation to find whether GMU is engaged successful a shape aliases believe of favoritism arsenic group distant above. We person not reached immoderate conclusions astir nan taxable matter of nan investigation," Dhillon wrote.

Dr. Gregory Washington, nan caller President of George Mason University, holds an introductory property convention successful Fairfax, Va. ( Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA PRESIDENT RESIGNS AMID PRESSURE FROM TRUMP ADMIN OVER DEI INITIATIVES

The investigation into GMU comes conscionable weeks aft University of Virginia President James Ryan resigned owed to unit from nan Trump administration.

"To make a agelong communicative short, I americium inclined to conflict for what I judge in, and I judge profoundly successful this University. But I cannot make a unilateral determination to conflict nan national authorities successful bid to prevention my ain job. To do truthful would not only beryllium quixotic but look selfish and self-centered to nan hundreds of labor who would suffer their jobs, nan researchers who would suffer their funding, and nan hundreds of students who could suffer financial assistance aliases person their visas withheld," Ryan wrote successful a statement.

George Mason University student Illia Sheikholeslami holds signs during nan "Hands Off Our Schools" rally successful beforehand of nan U.S. Department of Education connected April 4, 2025, successful Washington, D.C.  (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

The Trump management has made tacking diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, peculiarly successful authorities and acquisition institutions, a priority. As portion of nan DEI crackdown, nan Education Department launched nan "End DEI" Portal successful February 2025. It allows parents, students, teachers and moreover concerned citizens to taxable reports connected what they judge to beryllium DEI successful publically funded K-12 schools.

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President Donald Trump has issued aggregate executive orders aimed astatine ending DEI. This includes "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing" and "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity."

Fox News Digital contacted Mike Fragoso of Torridon Law PLLC, who is handling inquiries connected behalf of George Mason University, but did not get a consequence successful clip for publication.