Costco-Affiliated Scholarship and Others At Seattle U Challenged By Equal Protection Project

Costco-Affiliated Scholarship and Others At Seattle U Challenged By Equal Protection Project

The Equal Protection Project (EqualProtect.org) recently reached a milestone — our 100th school, college, or university challenged over DEI discrimination, covering over 400 discriminatory programs and scholarships.

Our most recent challenge was against Seattle University (SU), a private Jesuit university with one of the most aggressive DEI agendas we’ve seen anywhere. In interesting twist, SU has taken a Costco Wholesale scholarshp and made it worse.

From the Civil Rights Complaint:

We bring this civil rights complaint against Seattle University (“SU”), a private university, for discrimination in two (2) scholarships and one (1) program based on race, color, national origin, sex, or both, in violation of Title VI and Title IX, respectively.

SU has a heavy institutional focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA).2 As the university states, “Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts throughout Seattle University are presented, and supported, by a uniquely robust institutional structure.” [image omitted]

Among other things, SU participates with Costco Wholesale (“Costco”), the College Success Foundation, and the University of Washington in the Costco Scholarship Fund.3 Costco’s stated commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) was reflected in the fund’s creation.4 Although the fund is described as being for “underrepresented students of color,” 5 the fund’s eligibility criteria do not restrict applications to any specific racial or ethnic group of students, unlike at SU.6 [images omitted]

SU’s focus on DEIA has resulted in discriminatory scholarships and a program in which the university promotes exclusionary criteria.

Here are the scholarships and program at issue:

I. PROGRAM THAT VIOLATES TITLE VI

1. The Sinegal Fellowship
Link: https://www.seattleu.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid–scholarships/scholarships–grants/scholarships/
Archived Link: https://archive.is/Q85Jj
Discriminatory Requirement: “The Sinegal Fellowship provides support for underrepresented minority Costco Scholars who have graduated from either the University of Washington or Seattle University and who are pursuing an advanced degree at Seattle University.” 10

II. SCHOLARSHIP THAT VIOLATES BOTH TITLE VI AND IX

1. Justice Mary I. Yu Endowed Scholarship
Link: https://law.seattleu.edu/student-life/student-services/student-financial-services/paying-for-law-school/financial-aid/scholarships/
Archived Link: https://archive.ph/kA9IK
Discriminatory Requirement: “To honor Justice Mary I. Yu, a Washington State Supreme Court Justice and Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Seattle U Law, and the diversity and representation she brings to the justice system. Established to aid underrepresented students at Seattle University School of Law, especially women of color.”

III. SCHOLARSHIP THAT VIOLATES TITLE IX

1. The Women of Seattle University Endowed Scholarship
Link: https://www.seattleu.edu/science-engineering/academic-departments/department-of-electrical-and-computer-engineering/ece-student-scholarships/
Archived Link: https://archive.ph/ommmD
Discriminatory Requirement: “Priority consideration is given for underrepresented student populations, especially women.”

The Daily Wire covered the case:

Seattle University has been hit with a federal civil rights complaint over scholarships and programs that select students on the basis of race and sex, including one that’s administered in partnership with Costco….

The Costco Scholarship Fund, which both Seattle University and the University of Washington participate in, is intended for “underrepresented students of color.”

William A. Jacobson, the founder of the Equal Protection Project, told The Daily Wire that the Costco program doesn’t outline specific racial or ethnic requirements, but that it could foster exclusionary practices.

“Costco has created a program for ‘underrepresented students of color’ but allows others to participate,” Jacobson said. “We call on Costco to make clear both in its program and in its partnerships with schools like SU that discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin is prohibited.”

Costco told The Daily Wire that the scholarship fund takes into account several factors when selecting recipients, including academic record, community service history, and whether or not the applicant is “part of an underserved group, such as youth in foster care, historically underrepresented minority students, and students who are the first in their family to pursue a college degree.” Costco added that “the program is legally compliant.”

Seattle University offers other programs explicitly designed for people of specific demographic backgrounds….

“Creating educational opportunities based on race, color, national origin, or sex violates Titles VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act, as well as Washington State law and SU’s own non-discrimination policies,” Jacobson explained. “We are asking SU to live up to the law and its own rules, and to remove the discriminatory eligibility barriers it has erected.”….

Jacobson told The Daily Wire that Seattle University’s programs are in violation of the Civil Rights Act.

“Aggressive DEI programming must never be permitted to cross the line into unlawful discrimination in violation of the Civil Rights Act. This line, unfortunately, appears to have been breached at SU,” Jacobson said. “It is time for higher education everywhere to focus on the inherent worth and dignity of every student rather than categorizing students based on identity groups.”

“The Equal Protection Project calls on the Department of Education to require the senior administration of SU to uphold nondiscrimination standards throughout the institution,” he added….

Seattle University isn’t the first institution that the Equal Protection Project has hit with a federal civil rights complaint. It also reported the University of Rhode Island’s 51 DEI-focused scholarship offerings, which discriminated against white and male students. The complaint prompted a federal investigation from the Department of Education.

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.

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