BIPOC-Only Summer Arts Residency at Alfred University Challenged by Equal Protection Project
“We are asking Alfred to live up to the law and its own rules, and remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected.”
The Equal Protection Project (EqualProtect.org) has filed over 60 Civil Rights Complaints covering over 150 university scholarships and programs, resulting in at least 30 “wins” (discriminatory conduct halted). The enormous publicity our efforts have generated (over 250 distinct broadcast media interview and thousands of digital articles, contributed — we believe — to changing the culture surrounding DEI discrimination enabling the political change we are now seeing.
While the fate of the DoEd and it’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is uncertain, it appears that no matter what happens to the department the OCR function will continue, albeit potentially at the Department of Justice. So we have not slowed down at all. We are getting more tips than ever, perhaps because Trump’s Executive Orders have raised the public consciousness.
On February 12, 2025, EPP filed a Civil Rights Complaint with OCR against Alfred University, a private university in upstate New York, regarding a Summer Arts BIPOC Residency program (the “Summer Arts BIPOC Residency”) open only to persons who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color. Whites are not eligible.
From the Complaint:
The Summer Arts BIPOC Residency at Alfred’s School of Art & Design + Performing Arts Division is a four-week program running from June 23 to July 18, 2025. Held annually since 20223, the residency is designed for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists, providing them with time and space to focus on artistic research, practice, and creative exploration. Artists can participate for a minimum of two weeks or up to the full four weeks. [image omitted]
Alfred oversaw the current year application process, which closed on February 1, 2025. The program provides sliding-scale grants of up to $2,500 for travel, meals, or supplies, along with complimentary furnished one-bedroom campus housing with access to a full kitchen and laundry facilities. As late as December 20, 2024, Alfred was promoting the program as designed for BIPOC artists (see Instagram posting below). [image omitted]
The Alfred website provides details of the program, as follows:
Description: “The School of Art & Design + Performing Arts Division at Alfred University’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Artist-in-Residence program provides early-career BIPOC artists with time and space to dive deeply into their artistic research and practice, and creative endeavors.” [image omitted]
Eligibility: “Early to mid-career artists who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color.”
We then went on to explain why the Summer Arts BIPOC Residency violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, to which Alfred is bound because it receives federal funding, including from the Department of Education, and requested that OCR open the case for a formal investigation.
The NY Post covered the story, referring the the fact that Alfred is “linked” to the state SUNY system because it hosts a program, though it is not a SUNY school and our Complaint does not regard the SUNY program.
A legal advocacy group has accused SUNY-affiliated Alfred University of illegally excluding white students from a “BIPOC” arts residency program on its upstate campus.
The Equal Protection Project filed a scathing civil rights complaint with the US Department of Education claiming “Alfred’s BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, People of Color] Summer Arts Residency” is a violation of federal and state law — plain and simple.
“Creating educational opportunities based on race, color, or national origin is offensive and violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, as well as New York State law,” said William Jacobson, founder of the group.
“Such race-based programming also violates Alfred’s own non-discrimination policies,” Jacobson added. “We are asking Alfred to live up to the law and its own rules, and remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected.” ….
Jacobson said excluding white students from a program is no different than discriminating against Blacks, Latinos or other students .
“Racial and ethnic discrimination is wrong and unlawful no matter which race or ethnicity is targeted or benefits,” he said.
“Where were the administrators and staff whose jobs supposedly are devoted to preventing discrimination? Why was there no intervention to uphold the legally required equal access to education?”
EPP has filed similar discrimination complaints or lawsuits against the New York State Education Department, and the State University of New York campuses including SUNY-Albany, SUNY-Buffalo Law and Fordham University.
Alfred is a private school but runs the New York State College of Ceramics, a SUNY program.
Reminder: we are a small organization going up against powerful and wealthy government and private institutions devoted to DEI discrimination. Donations are greatly needed and appreciated.
===========
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
Never let them hide, Dr. Jacobson! Keep up the good work for all of us!
Well….they say you only have to “identify as” BIPOC to qualify. Hmmm, just like at work here in California where I may use the restroom of the gender that I identify with, so when the men’s room is occupied I simply identity as a woman and use the ladies room.
Ladies’ room
Hobgoblin of little minds
My mother and father, aunt and uncle, bother and sister-in-law, and two nephews are graduates of Alfred. This saddens me.
Posts are already appearing on Alfred University’s Facebook page reminding the university that this discriminatory program is not only racist but illegal and may lead to legal consequences at the federal level.