Duke University and Duke Health Face Investigations Over Alleged Racial Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into Duke University and Duke Law Journal over allegations of racial preferences in selecting law journal members. Separately, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched an investigation into Duke Health for alleged racial discrimination. The investigations stem from a joint letter sent by U.S. Secretaries of Education Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr., outlining concerns about the use of race preferences in Duke's hiring, admissions, and scholarship decisions. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a notice of investigation, citing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

Key Takeaways:

• The U.S. Department of Education is investigating Duke University and Duke Law Journal for alleged racial preferences in selecting law journal members, citing reporting by the Washington Free Beacon.
• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is investigating Duke Health for alleged racial discrimination, with a focus on recipients of HHS funding.
• U.S. Secretaries of Education Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. sent a joint letter to Duke School of Medicine and Duke Health, demanding immediate actions from the institution.
• The letter demands the creation of a "Merit and Civil Rights Committee" led by the Board of Trustees for a six-month period to oversee the resolution of Duke's alleged civil rights violations.
• If the committee finds the allegations to be true and they "remain unrectified" after six months, the federal government will commence enforcement proceedings as appropriate.
• Duke Health has 10 business days to respond to the demands in the letter and 20 business days to provide requested materials to the HHS OCR for the investigation.

Statistics:

• 45 universities, including Duke, are under investigation by the Department of Education for allegedly participating in "race-exclusionary" admissions practices via partnerships with The Ph.D. Project.
• 10 business days: The amount of time Duke Health has to respond to the demands in the joint letter.
• 20 business days: The amount of time Duke Health has to provide requested materials to the HHS OCR for the investigation.

Sources:

• [Washington Free Beacon]
• [Letter from U.S. Secretaries of Education Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. to Duke School of Medicine and Duke Health, likely dated Monday, January 1 (day/month/year not specified in the text)]
• [HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR)]
• [U.S. Department of Education]