DOJ to investigate alleged discriminatory University of California hiring practices

The Justice Department announced a civil rights investigation Thursday into the University of California over Trump administration concerns that its faculty hiring practices plan may violate federal anti-discrimination laws.

At issue is the university system’s “UC 2030 Capacity Plan,” which the DOJ said may contain race- and sex-based employment quotas in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The plan allegedly aims to expand the university’s tenure-track faculty rapidly while prioritizing demographic diversity, a hallmark feature of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which the Trump administration is attempting to root out of institutions nationally.