SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Department of Justice has sent a letter to the University of California System to alert it about a civil rights investigation into its hiring practices, specifically to see if there's a "pattern or practice of discrimination" based on race and sex.
The DOJ is looking into whether the system and individual universities violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the letter states it is under Attorney General Pam Bondi's purview to ensure Title VII's provisions are followed by state and local government employers.
The investigation has been delegated to Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Eric Sell, who will see if the UC system is compliant with Title VII, the letter states.
Under Title VII, employers are barred from discriminating against a person based on their race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
The DOJ says the investigation will focus on the "UC 2030 Capacity Plan," and other employment practices in the system and at individual campuses that may discriminate against employees, job applicants and training program participants based on race and sex.
According to an outline of the plan posted on the UC Board of Regents website in July 2022, the system hoped to increase enrollment of in-state residents while "reflecting California's diversity... supporting underserved regions, and meeting workforce demands."
UC 2030 Capacity Plan by Pat Mueller on Scribd
The plan says that although California is a majority-minority state, underrepresented groups, including the Black, Latino, Asian Pacific Islander and Indigenous communities, are less likely to graduate from college and enjoy the higher earnings associated with a degree.
Under the "Meeting Workforce Demand" heading, the plan states that the training of future faculty is a major component of how UC expands the state's education system. One of the initiatives sought to expand the diversity of Ph.D. recipients.
"To succeed, the University must grow its faculty and graduate students as it expands access to undergraduates," a portion of the conclusion states. "Only focusing on undergraduate growth will reduce UC’s capacity to conduct research and California’s problems need more, diverse faculty and future scholars to find sustainable solutions to the challenges we face."
The DOJ's letter states that it has not reached any conclusions at this point, as the investigation is still in its early stages.
Since Inauguration Day, DEI policies across a wide range of industries have been in the Trump Administration's crosshairs, including in education, the military, aviation and more.
ABC 10News has reached out to UC San Diego for comment on this story. Our newsroom is awaiting a reply.
DOJ Letter to UC System by Pat Mueller on Scribd
