(FOX 5/KUSI) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday it has opened a formal investigation into the University of California (UC) system over potential violations of federal anti-discrimination laws related to its hiring practices.
At issue is the university system’s “UC 2030 Capacity Plan,” which directs UC campuses to increase faculty diversity by measuring new hires against race and sex-based benchmarks. The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division says such directives could amount to unlawful employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
According to the DOJ, the investigation will focus on whether the UC system is engaging in a “pattern or practice of discrimination” on the basis of race, sex, or other protected characteristics.
“Public employers are bound by federal laws that prohibit racial and other employment discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the Civil Rights Division. “Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law.”
A copy of the DOJ’s notice letter is available online.
The University of California operates 10 campuses across the state, including UC San Diego. The DOJ did not indicate which campuses or departments are specifically under review, but the investigation includes both the UC system and its individual institutions.
As of Thursday morning, officials with the University of California had not publicly responded to the announcement.
