In the ongoing national reckoning over race, merit, and institutional memory, the Department of Justice has opened a formal review of the College of William & Mary, questioning whether several of its scholarship programs cross the legal line from remedying historical injustice into unlawful racial preference. The probe, rooted in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, asks a question that has long haunted American higher education: when does an institution's effort to reckon with its past become a violation of the very equality it seeks to restore. William & Mary, one of the nation's oldest
DOJ Investigates William & Mary Over Race-Based Scholarship Programs
Awarding scholarships based on skin color violates constitutional principles
Mark
Why is the DOJ singling out William & Mary specifically? Are these programs unusual compared to what other universities do?
Mimi
The programs themselves aren't unique—many institutions have similar initiatives. But the DOJ is part of a broader administration strategy targeting universities with race-conscious policies. William & Mary may have been selected because the programs are documented and explicit about their aims.
Mark
The college says these programs address slavery's legacy. Does that distinction matter legally?
Mimi
That's the central tension. The college's historical context is real—William & Mary did benefit from slavery. But Title VI doesn't have an exception for remedying historical wrongs. The legal question is whether the programs use race as a criterion, not whether the motivation is sympathetic.
Mark
What happens if the DOJ finds violations? Can they actually cut off federal funding?
Mimi
Yes, that's the ultimate leverage. Federal funding is enormous for public universities. The threat alone creates pressure to settle or modify programs. Most institutions will likely negotiate rather than risk losing that money.
Mark
Does this investigation tell us anything about where education policy is headed?
Mimi
It signals that the administration views race-conscious scholarships as a priority target. This won't be the last investigation. Universities are now calculating the cost of maintaining these programs against the risk of federal action.
Le Pouls
- The DOJ's Civil Rights Division has formally targeted William & Mary, putting the institution on notice that several of its scholarship and fellowship programs may constitute illegal racial discrimination under federal law.
- Programs explicitly favoring Hispanic women, HBCU graduates, and students from 'underrepresented backgrounds' are at the center of the inquiry, with the department signaling that historical justifications will not automatically shield race-conscious awards from scrutiny.
- The college is caught between its stated mission to address the legacy of slavery and a federal government increasingly hostile to any race-conscious programming, however remedial in intent.
- William & Mary must submit documents by September 8 or risk escalating enforcement action, including the potentially devastating loss of federal financial assistance.
- The investigation is not an isolated event but part of a sweeping Trump administration campaign to dismantle DEI frameworks across American universities, signaling that more institutions should expect similar scrutiny.
In the ongoing national reckoning over race, merit, and institutional memory, the Department of Justice has opened a formal review of the College of William & Mary, questioning whether several of its scholarship programs cross the legal line from remedying historical injustice into unlawful racial preference. The probe, rooted in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, asks a question that has long haunted American higher education: when does an institution's effort to reckon with its past become a violation of the very equality it seeks to restore. William & Mary, one of the nation's oldest universities and one with deep ties to the era of slavery, now faces a September deadline to demonstrate that its programs serve all students without regard to race.
The Department of Justice opened a formal investigation into the College of William & Mary on Monday, examining whether the Virginia institution's scholarship programs illegally favor applicants based on race in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon made clear that historical justifications would not insulate universities from scrutiny, framing the issue as a matter of constitutional principle.
Several programs are under the microscope. The W&M Scholars program flags applicants with interest in "diverse people and perspectives" — language the DOJ considers potentially race-coded. The Martha L. Muguira Fellowship explicitly favors Hispanic or Latino women. The Holmes Scholars program reserves mentorship and professional opportunities for students from "traditionally underrepresented backgrounds." At the law school, the Lemon Legal Scholars Program offers full-tuition scholarships exclusively to HBCU graduates, and the Reaching Back Scholarship extends preference to those who contribute to the school's diversity.
William & Mary has defended these programs as responses to its own historical entanglement with slavery, while reaffirming its commitment to nondiscrimination and legal compliance. The DOJ has set a September 8 deadline for the college to produce relevant documents, and while the department expressed preference for voluntary resolution, it reserved the right to pursue formal enforcement — including termination of federal funding.
The investigation is part of a broader Trump administration effort to challenge race-conscious policies across American higher education, placing William & Mary at the intersection of two competing moral imperatives: the demand for equal treatment under the law and the unfinished work of confronting a deeply unequal past.
The Department of Justice opened a formal investigation into the College of William & Mary on Monday, examining whether the Virginia institution's scholarship programs and student benefits illegally favor applicants based on race. The probe, announced by the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, centers on potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin at institutions receiving federal funding.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon framed the investigation in stark terms, stating that awarding scholarships based on skin color violates constitutional principles and that the department would scrutinize how universities structure their aid programs, regardless of how they justify them. The DOJ said it would determine whether William & Mary's scholarships and other student benefits systematically advantage applicants of particular racial backgrounds.
The investigation targets several specific programs. The W&M Scholars program, which provides first-year undergraduates with scholarships covering at least full in-state tuition and fees, gives "top consideration" to applicants demonstrating interest in diverse people and perspectives—a criterion the DOJ flagged as potentially race-based. The Martha L. Muguira Fellowship, a graduate-level need-based award through the School of Education, explicitly extends preference to Hispanic or Latino women. The Holmes Scholars program, also at the School of Education, offers mentorship, job fair access, and professional development opportunities specifically to what the institution describes as students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. At the law school, the Lemon Legal Scholars Program provides up to five full-tuition scholarships to graduates of historically Black colleges and universities, and the Reaching Back Scholarship extends preference to HBCU graduates or those who contribute to the law school's diversity.
William & Mary has stated that some of these programs were created to address the institution's historical role in slavery and racial discrimination. The college responded to the federal inquiry by reaffirming its commitment to nondiscriminatory environments and compliance with state and federal law. The DOJ has requested that the institution submit relevant documents and information by September 8.
The department indicated it prefers to achieve compliance through voluntary cooperation but reserved the right to pursue formal enforcement action, which could include termination of federal financial assistance. The Civil Rights Division emphasized that no conclusions have been reached about the investigation's outcome. This action represents one element of a broader Trump administration effort to scrutinize educational institutions nationwide regarding race-conscious admissions policies, scholarship programs, and diversity initiatives.
Citations marquantes
Awarding scholarships or offering coveted opportunities to students based on the color of their skin is illegal and offends the guarantees of our color-blind Constitution.— Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon
William & Mary said it is committed to nondiscriminatory learning environments across campus and complying with all state and federal laws.— College of William & Mary statement
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