On April 29, 2024, Northwestern University struck a deal to have the pro-Hamas unauthorized encampment removed, with a twist not seen at other universities. Northwestern agreed to establish preferences for “Palestinian” students in accessing a new scholarship program and “MENA/Muslim” [MENA = Middle East North Africa] students in housing.These ethnic, national origin, and shared ancestry preferences violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.On May 1, the Equal Protection Project (EqualProtect.org) filed a Civil Rights Complaint (full embed at bottom of post) with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education. OCR has jurisdiction because Northwestern receives federal funding.Here is an excerpt from the Complaint:
We bring this civil rights complaint against Northwestern University (“Northwestern”) located at 633 Clark St, Evanston, IL 60208, for its publicly stated announcement that it plans to discriminate based on ethnicity and national origin in violation of Title VI’s prohibition of such discrimination. Specifically, three members of the University’s top administration (President Michael Schill, Provost Kathleen Hagerty, and Vice-President for Student Affairs Susan Davis) on April 29, 2024, issued a formal “Agreement on Deering Meadow” (the “Encampment Agreement”) with a group of students and faculty who had staged an unauthorized 5-day anti-Israel protest and encampment on a Northwestern property called Deering Meadow.In the Encampment Agreement (press release1, full agreement2 attached, archived version3) Northwestern publicly committed, among other things, as follows (emphasis added):
• The University will support visiting Palestinian faculty and students at risk (funding two faculty per year for two years; and providing full cost of attendance for five Palestinian undergraduates to attend Northwestern for the duration of their undergraduate careers). The University commits to fundraise to sustain this program beyond this current commitment.• The University will provide immediate temporary space for MENA/Muslim students.• The University will provide and renovate a house for MENA/Muslim students that is conductive to community building as soon as practicably possible upon completion of the Jacobs renovation (Expected 2026).
The Encampment Agreement has received substantial news coverage.4
In violation of Title VI, the stated commitment of the University to provide five scholarships exclusively to “Palestinian” students illegally excludes and discriminates against non-Palestinian students based on their ethnicity, national origin, and shared ancestry.5 Additionally, the reservation of space and housing for “MENA/Muslim” students appears to be segregationist in nature, excluding at least in part students on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, and shared ancestry.
Fox News has the story:
A nonprofit legal organization filed a civil rights complaint against Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, Tuesday, after it announced plans to offer five scholarships exclusively to “Palestinian” students, allegedly discriminating against the rest of the student body.The Equal Protection Project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation, based in Rhode Island, is an organization that fights for equal protection under the law and nondiscrimination by the government and against racial discrimination of any form.According to a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education against Northwestern, the school said it was planning to discriminate based on ethnicity and national origin, violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964….”In violation of Title VI, the stated commitment of the University to provide five scholarships exclusively to ‘Palestinian’ students illegally excludes and discriminates against non-Palestinian students based on their ethnicity, national origin, and shared ancestry,” the complaint states.”Additionally, the reservation of space and housing for ‘MENA/Muslim’ students appears to be segregationist in nature, excluding at least in part students on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, and shared ancestry.”William A. Jacobson, president of the Legal Insurrection Foundation and founder of the Equal Protection Project, filed the complaint.”Northwestern capitulated to the demands of protesters who encamped without authorization. However, Northwestern had no authority to agree to discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, national origin and shared ancestry in order to get the encampment removed,” Jacobson said. “Whether in scholarship or housing, Northwestern must treat all students equally. Political expediency is no legal excuse.”Northwestern University did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the civil rights complaint.
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