The Trump administration has suspended $108 million in federal research funding to Duke University, citing allegations of racial discrimination through affirmative action practices. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) halted the funding following a joint letter from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Education, which accused Duke of engaging in racial preferences in hiring, admissions, scholarships, and other areas. The letter labeled these practices as “vile racism” and warned that, if substantiated, they would render Duke “unfit for any further financial relationship with the federal government.”
The administration has mandated that Duke dismantle any race-based advantages and establish a new Merit and Civil Rights Committee, approved by the government and authorized by the university’s board of trustees, to oversee reforms. If issues persist after six months, the administration has indicated it will pursue legal enforcement. Additionally, the Education Department has initiated an investigation into the Duke Law Journal over allegations that it provided advantages to prospective editors from underrepresented groups.
This move is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in higher education, which it describes as discrimination against white and Asian American individuals. Other prestigious institutions, including Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell, are also under scrutiny for similar practices.
Duke University, which relies heavily on federal grants for its $1.5 billion annual research budget, now faces significant financial strain. The funding freeze has already led to hiring freezes and postponed expansion projects, with a high likelihood of staff layoffs and reduced research activities if the situation persists. Duke’s medical school has also reduced Ph.D. admissions due to funding uncertainties. Researchers are raising alarms over the long-term impacts on scientific innovation and the future of academic medicine.
The Trump administration has used federal research funding as leverage in its effort to reshape universities that President Donald Trump has described as hotbeds of liberalism. It has presented a crisis for universities that … . Duke University spent $1 … ’s website.
Even before the latest funding freeze … Last week, university leaders said almost … Officials said they needed to reduce costs … ’s federal endowment tax.
Leave a comment