The campus of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, is one of 45 colleges currently under investigation for allegedly implementing “race-exclusionary practices.” The U.S. Education Department has launched this investigation on the grounds of alleged violations of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as these schools are linked with the Ph.D. Project, which is accused of limiting eligibility based on race.
Leyland Lucas, a Black individual from Guyana, reflects on his experiences as a Ph.D. student at Rutgers University, where diversity among professors was limited. He credits the Ph.D. Project, a small nonprofit organization, with assisting him in completing his Ph.D. Lucas is now a dean at the University of Guyana. The Ph.D. Project has supported students from underrepresented groups in pursuing doctoral degrees in business for approximately 30 years by providing mentorship and guidance.
Before returning to Guyana, Lucas served as a professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore, where he assisted students through the Ph.D. Project. He emphasizes the importance of seeing individuals from similar backgrounds overcoming challenges as an incentive for personal achievement.
The investigation by the Trump administration has attracted attention to the Ph.D. Project, as the U.S. Education Department scrutinizes 45 universities with connections to the program. This move aligns with President Trump’s series of executive orders since taking office, aimed at eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in educational institutions. These orders demand universities cease using race preferences and stereotypes in admissions, hiring, and activities, leading some to close DEI offices or change policies.
The University of Iowa and the University of Kentucky have recently severed ties with the Ph.D. Project following directives from their state’s Board of Regents and amid federal investigations. Meanwhile, the Ph.D. Project has modified its mission to include a broader approach, opening applications to anyone interested in expanding the talent pool at universities and in corporate America. Alfonzo Alexander, the President and CEO of the Ph.D. Project, explains that the organization is evolving to continue its mission within the current environment.
The initiative has aided over 1,500 Ph.D. students, hosting conferences that address the challenges of Ph.D. programs. Alumni have attained positions as university provosts, deans, professors, and business leaders. Adrian Mayse, a former participant, attests to the profound impact of the Ph.D. Project on his academic journey.
The program’s alumni emphasize that they received no preferential treatment based on race. Data from 2020 indicates a lack of diversity among business school faculty, with less than 4% Black, less than 3% Hispanic, and only 0.3% Native American or Alaska Native professors, according to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This disparity contrasts with the diversity among enrolled students.
The Trump administration’s investigation into the Ph.D. Project possibly arose from an online form introduced to collect reports of discrimination in educational institutions. This form could have prompted the investigation, as reported by Wil Del Pilar, an education equity advocate, who mentioned the lack of previous awareness of the Ph.D. Project.
Federal investigations often result from online tips, with schools sometimes choosing to modify programs if corrective action is deemed necessary. Although federal funding can be withheld, such actions are rare. However, the current climate suggests elevated stakes, with President Trump threatening to withdraw significant funding from non-compliant institutions, as seen in recent funding suspensions at Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.
At a recent Ph.D. Project conference in Chicago, anxiety was felt among members whose universities might discontinue partnerships due to potential funding losses. Nonetheless, Alexander remains optimistic, expressing hope that the organization will emerge stronger from the current challenges.
