Equal Protection Project claims UC Berkeley's Haas fellowship program discriminates based on race
The Equal Protection Project (EPP) filed a federal complaint against UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, alleging that its MBA fellowship program discriminates against non-Hispanic students by limiting eligibility to 'Latinx/Hispanic' individuals.
EPP claims the program violates federal civil rights law and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Equal Protection Project (EPP) filed a federal complaint against the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, asserting that it prevents non-Hispanic students from obtaining access to an MBA program.
In a Sept. 3 civil rights complaint, EPP challenged the school’s “Haas Thrive Fellows Program,” which is geared specifically toward “Latinx/Hispanic individuals.”
EPP’s complaint critiques the description of the program as appearing to exclude students who are not of Hispanic origin.
“Such statements clearly signal to non-Latinx/Hispanic students that they are not eligible and need not apply,” the complaint asserts.
In its complaint to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), EPP asserts that the allegedly discriminatory nature of the program violates federal civil rights law and the U.S. Constitution.
“Haas violates Title VI by conditioning eligibility for participation in the Haas Thrive Fellows program on a student’s race and national origin,” the complaint states. “And, because Haas is a public institution, its offering and administering of this discriminatory program also violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”
EPP founder William Jacobson told Fox News that the university needs to enforce its rules.
”At every level, by policy the university rejects discrimination,” Jacobson said. “UC-Berkeley and Haas should live up to their own set of rules. Sending a message to students that access to opportunities is dependent on race and ethnicity is damaging to the fabric of campus.”
Campus Reform has previously reported about other complaints filed by the Equal Protection Project, including against the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Fordham University, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In total, EPP has filed more than 30 complaints.
[RELATED: Michigan med school ends race-based scholarship after civil rights complaint]
The lawsuit against UIUC, which was filed in August, challenged 42 scholarships at that school, alleging that they were discriminatory and thus violated Title VI and Title IX protections.
“UIUC has achieved diversity but in the worst way,” EPP’s Jacobson said about UIUC’s scholarships. “The array of discriminatory scholarships collectively discriminates against almost everyone. Discrimination does not become lawful just because there is a diverse group of victims.”
EPP asserts that most of its complaints have met with success, with Jacobson stating earlier this year, “At least half of the schools have changed their discriminatory practices in response to our complaints.”
A UC Berkeley spokesperson told Campus Reform: “We are aware of the news report regarding a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education regarding this matter. To be clear, there is no race or ethnicity requirement to participate in this program (the eligibility criteria are stated in the eligibility section on the program website).”
Campus Reform has contacted the Equal Protection Project for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
