Washington, D.C., June 10, 2025 — A group of Republican members of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce has opened a formal inquiry into Harvard University’s faculty recruitment practices, alleging they may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by giving undue weight to applicants’ race and gender.
The committee, led by Chairman Tim Walberg alongside representatives Elise Stefanik, Virginia Foxx, and others, claims Harvard’s internal “Best Practices for Conducting Faculty Searches” (2023) guidelines may cross legal boundaries. The document reportedly instructs search committees to:
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Ensure early applicant lists include women and minorities
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Monitor the demographic composition of candidates continuously
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Consider reviewing women and minority applications before others and offer them “a second look” amid staffing goals
Since 2021, the university has also purportedly distributed “Diversity‑Related Sample Interview Questions” intended to assess candidates’ commitment to DEI values — for instance: “Explain how diversity played a role in your career”
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. Lawmakers assert that prioritizing hiring based on identity may run counter to federal law. The inquiry follows the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against race-based affirmative action in student admissions, with lawmakers asserting that similar principles should apply to faculty hiring .
On April 25, 2025, Andrea R. Lucas, acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), filed a formal charge asserting that Harvard may already be in violation of Title VII due to its efforts at diversifying faculty appointme.
🏛️ Harvard’s Response & Wider Backdro
Harvard has not yet publicly responded to the congressional requests but maintains that employment decisions are based on merit. This probe unfolds amid broader political pressure from the Trump administration, which has:
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Frozen over $2–3 billion in federal research and grant funding
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Threatened to revoke tax-exempt status
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Demanded reforms to DEI and hiring policies
Similar federal investigations have targeted Harvard Law Review, MIT, and other universities on DEI and alleged racial bias
Harvard has been given a June 25 deadline to deliver documents related to faculty hiring policies and DEI initiatives to the committee enforcement action is required.
The outcome could significantly influence:
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DEI policies across American universities, especially regarding structural hiring practices
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The scope of permissible diversity efforts under U.S. anti-discrimination law
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Harvard’s relationship with the federal government and its funding mechanisms
