The University of Rhode Island (URI) is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston
A nonprofit has reportedly lodged a civil rights complaint against the University of Rhode Island, alleging the school’s scholarships discriminate based on sex and race.
According to the Equal Protection Project filed with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, URI offers 51 student scholarships that restrict eligibility based on certain demographics, NBC10 Boston affiliate WJAR reports.
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“The discrimination is so pervasive and systematic that urgent action by OCR is needed before the scholarships come up for reapplication in the spring 2025 semester,” the group wrote in the complaint, calling the offerings "unacceptable."
WJAR reports that some scholarships noted in the complaint include the “Alumni of Color Network Scholars Fund,” the “George & Lois Graboys Minority Student Endowment,” and the “The Women in Business Endowed Scholarship.”
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“Those scholarships identified above that discriminate on the basis of race, skin color or national origin violate Title VI, while those that discriminate on the basis of sex violate Title IX, and those that discriminate on both grounds violate both Title VI and Title IX,” the complaint reads.
“URI’s explicit racial and sex-based scholarships are presumptively invalid, and since there is no compelling government justification for such invidious discrimination, URI’s offering, promotion, and administration of these programs violates state and federal civil rights statutes and constitutional equal protection guarantees,” it adds.
The Equal Protection Project is calling for an investigation into the scholarships, as well as enforcement by the Department of Education, according to WJAR.
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A spokesperson for the University of Rhode Island tells WJAR that the college "has not received any notice of this complaint from the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights."
"The University works diligently to comply with the regulatory landscape, and we remain committed to our foundational values, including fostering an inclusive community and respect for the rights and dignity of all," the spokesperson said.
