Request from Office for Civil Rights Results in Identification of Dozens More Programs

The Center for Equal Opportunity has uncovered over 60 racially discriminatory programs at Virginia Tech, in addition to at least 10 such programs that were earlier identified by the state Attorney General’s office. CEO found these programs in the course of responding to a request from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is investigating a complaint against Virginia Tech filed in April by CEO.

“The amount of discrimination that is occurring at Virginia Tech is appalling,” said CEO president Linda Chavez. “The school needs to reinstate its ban on racial and ethnic discrimination in its programs,” she said.

The programs that CEO has identified discriminate on the basis of race and ethnicity in a variety of contexts, ranging from financial aid and scholarships to internships and mentoring. The programs permeate the university and are found at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, in the sciences, humanities, engineering, and elsewhere. CEO has asked that OCR include the various identified programs in its investigation.

[Memorandum listing VA Tech's discriminatory programs-pdf] [Attachments to Memorandum]