The Justice Department announced on Monday that it was opening an investigation into the College of William and Mary over whether it violated the Civil Rights Act. The concerns stem from the school allegedly using race-based criteria to determine the distribution of scholarships and other student benefits. If it is determined that the school did so, it would violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination “on the basis of race, color, and national origin.”
Of particular interest is the university’s “W&M Scholars” program, which grants scholarships covering the “full cost of in-state tuition and fees” to “academically distinguished students,” according to the College of William and Mary website. The program is advertised as competitive, with “top consideration” given for three specific metrics.
