The University of Louisville is among the latest schools to be subject to a civil rights complaint due to allegedly discriminatory scholarships.
The Equal Protection Project (EPP) filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights against the university on June 11.
The complaint says that the university offers six discriminatory scholarships that award funds based on race: A&S McSweeny Fellowships, the Dawn Wilson Scholarship for LGBTQ+ Students of Color, the Watson Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Al Dia Endowed Scholarship, the Louisville Tango Festival Scholarship and the Sagar Patagundi Scholarship
“A&S McSweeny Fellowships supplement graduate education support and promote racial and ethnic diversity of the student population in the STEM areas,” one description page reads.
“Programs may nominate students from historically underrepresented ethnic/racial groups, including US citizens and permanent residents who are African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and Pacific Islanders,” it continues.
Similarly, a description for the Dawn Wilson Scholarship says the award will “subsidize the cost of higher education at the University of Louisville for undergraduate LGBTQ+ students of color.”
Similarly, the Watson Family Endowed Scholarship says that preference is given to African American students, while the Al Dia and Tango Festival scholarships favor “students who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino” or are “full-time and part-time Latino/a/x and Hispanic students.”
Meanwhile, the Sagar Patagundi Scholarship gives preference to “undergraduate DACA and undocumented students,” with “DACA” referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
[RELATED: George Mason University ends office for ‘Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation’]
In comments to Campus Reform, EPP Founder William Jacobson criticized the university for offering scholarships that prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens.
Jacobson argued that scholarships that are “exclusive to or prioritize DACA and ‘undocumented’ students discriminate against American-born students.” He added that, “Such national origin discrimination against American students is both unlawful and offensive.”
In response to Campus Reform’s request for comment, a Louisville official said the university had “not seen the complaint.”
Brendan McDonald is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Theological Studies. He graduated from Thomas More College and is interested in writing and communication.
