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by Gabbi Lumma, WSBT 22 Reporter
Indiana University South Bend is being accused of discriminating against race, color, and national origin in a formal complaint. That complaint was filed by the civil rights non-profit Equal Protection Project. (WSBT photo)
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — Indiana University South Bend is being accused of discriminating against race, color, and national origin in a formal complaint.
That complaint was filed by the civil rights non-profit Equal Protection Project.
The organization is alleging the university has five scholarships that discriminate against others because the scholarships give preference to people of color.
The group said their mission is to make universities more inclusive.
The Equal Protection Project has filed over 70 complaints against universities nationwide, targeting over 200 scholarships and student organizations in the process.
The non-profit's founder said his goal is to have these scholarships and programs available to all applicants.
Indiana University South Bend is the center of the Equal Protection Project's (EPP) latest complaint, accused of discriminating against race, color, and national origin in promoting five scholarships for minority students.
The formal complaint was filed on Wednesday with the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.
In the complaint, EPP officials allege the university is in violation of Title VI (6) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the constitution.
EPP founder William Jacobson explained the timing of the complaint.
“I don't remember how these came to our attention, but most likely it was some form of tip. And once we do that, we investigate and we research, we just don't take somebody's word for it, and we document it, and we screenshot the website pages, and we archive the website pages,” said William Jacobson, Equal Protection Project Founder, Cornell Law School Professor.
The scholarships named in the complaint include the Clark Equipment Minority, Helen F. Pope Memorial, IU South Bend Black Council, Kem Krest "Crossing the Finish Line" Bicentennial, and NAACP scholarships.
Each of these scholarships target minority applicants, namely African American, black, and Hispanic students.
Jacobson said he doesn't want to take opportunities away from students.
“We don't want the students to be deprived of the scholarship money. Each student have equal access to educational opportunities, without regard to race, color or national origin, and that's our primary goal here,” said Jacobson.
EPP's founder emphasized the complaints are aimed at making universities more diverse.
“By discriminating a scholarship or a program today, you are solving any problems. You're just injecting more discrimination into the system. So, to us, the remedy for racism is never more racism. It's less racism. Let's take discrimination out of the system,” said Jacobson.
IUSB currently has 4,631 students. Of those, 37.1% are minorities.
WSBT 22 News has reached out to IU officials for comment and so far, we have not heard back.
