EXCLUSIVE: Harvard University hosting music program open to ‘all BIPOC Students’ is a Title VI violation, UMich professor says
'Campus Reform's' inquiry into an event at Harvard 'open to all BIPOC individuals' resulted in a professor submitting a Title VI complaint.
The event, which will be hosted on Harvard's campus and have a faculty member advisor, requires applicants to disclose their race.
A University of Michigan-Flint professor filed a Title VI complaint today with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the result of Campus Reform identifying an upcoming program on Harvard University’s campus that advertises itself as “open to all BIPOC individuals.”
Rapper IDK announced this month that he would be hosting a “music business” course at Harvard University in August, titled “No Label Academy at Harvard.” According to the program’s website, the course is “Open to all BIPOC individuals interested in music business.” For those who are admitted to take the course, all expenses will be paid.
The course is designed to build “a pipeline for BIPOC talent to kickstart their music careers,” and likewise requires applicants to disclose their “racial or ethnic group.”
According to the Associated Press, Brian Price, a professor of law at the Harvard Law School, will serve as an advisor for the program.
However, University of Michigan-Flint professor Mark Perry told Campus Reform that Harvard University has likely committed a Title VI violation.
”In some cases like this, a university might claim that they are merely renting space on its campus to a discriminatory group or program, but they are not affiliated with the program or endorsing it,” Perry said. “In this case, I don’t think Harvard can make that claim as I tried to emphasize in my complaint. Harvard should be considered a partner because the program name is ‘No Label Academy at Harvard’ and a Harvard faculty member is serving as an adviser to the program. Therefore, Harvard should be held accountable as being complicit with the discriminatory practices of an outside group that is using Harvard’s name, its campus, its academic reputation, and its faculty to promote a program that violates Title VI.”
Additionally, Perry filed a Title VI complaint against Harvard University with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, Boston office.
”In violation of Title VI, this program discriminates on the basis of skin color by operating exclusively for BIPOC individuals only and illegally excluding and discriminating against non-BIPOC individuals on the basis of skin color,” the complaint states.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race under any program that receives federal funding.
Campus Reform has reached out to Harvard University for comment.
