DOJ Probes George Mason University Over Alleged Discriminatory Hiring Practices

The Department of Justice has launched a significant investigation into George Mason University (GMU) over allegations of discriminatory hiring practices that may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal law stands as a bulwark against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment. At the heart of this probe is whether GMU, under President Gregory Washington, has prioritized race and sex in faculty hiring decisions, potentially sidelining qualified candidates.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, minced no words in condemning such practices as both unlawful and un-American. In a pointed letter to GMU’s Board of Visitors Rector, Charles Stimson, Dhillon highlighted a 2020 email from Washington to faculty. In it, he reportedly outlined plans to tailor promotion and tenure processes to favor faculty of color and women, even acknowledging the 'invisible emotional labor' borne by people of color on campus. If true, this raises serious questions about fairness and merit in academia.

This investigation isn’t an isolated incident. It comes on the heels of broader efforts by the Trump administration to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in educational and governmental institutions. Just weeks ago, the University of Virginia saw its president, James Ryan, step down under similar pressures. Ryan’s resignation statement reflected a man caught between personal conviction and the risk of federal repercussions for his institution—hardly a choice at all.

The administration’s anti-DEI crusade is in full swing, with executive orders targeting what they call 'radical and wasteful' programs and a new 'End DEI' Portal launched by the Education Department. This platform invites reports of DEI practices in public K-12 schools, signaling a no-holds-barred approach to reshaping institutional priorities. Whether this is a restoration of merit or a rollback of progress depends on where you stand, but one thing is clear: the battle over how we define fairness in hiring and education is far from over.