WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration has initiated a probe into Duke University and the Duke Law Journal over allegations of race-related discrimination, making it the latest American university to face the threat of cuts to federal funding.

The government said on Monday it will probe whether the Duke Law Journal’s selection of its editors gives preferences to candidates from minority communities.

“This investigation is based on recent reporting alleging that Duke University discriminates on the bases of race, color, and/or national origin by using these factors to select law journal members,” the Education Department said in a statement.

US Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent a letter to the university’s leadership alleging what the government called “the use of race preferences in Duke’s hiring, admissions, and scholarship decisions.”

The letter urged the university to review its policies and create a panel “with delegated authority from Duke’s Board of Trustees to enable Duke and the federal government to move quickly toward a mutual resolution of Duke’s alleged civil rights violations.”

Duke had no immediate comment. Rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns over the Trump administration’s attempted crackdown against universities.

The New York Times reported on Monday Harvard University has signaled a willingness to spend as much as $500 million to end its dispute with the Trump administration, the amount being more than twice of what Columbia University agreed to pay last week to resolve federal probes.

The report, which cited sources, says negotiators were still discussing the financial details of the Harvard deal and that Harvard opposed allowing an outside monitor to oversee the deal, seeing that as a red line.

Trump threats

The government has threatened federal funding cuts against universities and schools over climate initiatives, transgender policies, pro-Palestinian protests against US ally Israel’s war in Gaza and diversity, equity and inclusion programmes.

Separately, Brown University has secured a $500 million loan amid federal cuts to research and financial aid in recent months, according to a regulatory filing. A US official said in April that the Trump administration would block $510 million in grants for Brown.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on grounds of race in education programmes receiving federal funding.

The government said in April it was probing whether Harvard and the Harvard Law Review violated civil rights laws when the journal’s editors fast-tracked consideration of an article written by a member of a racial minority. Harvard is legally challenging the government to have its frozen federal funding restored.

Trump has claimed, without evidence, that groups like white people and men face discrimination due to DEI. Rights groups dismiss that, saying DEI addresses historic inequities against marginalised groups such as ethnic minorities.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2025