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Kentucky Lantern

By Lantern Staff

The University of Kentucky is cutting ties with the PhD Project in response to a federal civil rights investigation announced last week.

UK was among 45 universities notified that they were under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights because of their association with the PhD Project which works with universities to increase racial diversity in business faculty.

University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said Wednesday that an initial review found no UK doctoral students are engaged in the program but that UK has participated in the organization’s conferences.

“We are continuing to examine this issue, but we believe based on our initial analysis that UK’s role in this organization has been limited to attendance at an annual conference. This conference is designed to encourage networking among schools to promote enrollment. Further, from that initial review, we do not have any doctoral students engaged with the program,” Capilouto said in an update to campus.

“In any event, we have discontinued any association with the organization, given this review and the concerns raised. We will be communicating this step to the Department of Education as we fully cooperate with its review,” the UK president said.

The New York Times reported that the PhD Project, based in Montvale, N.J., said in a statement on the day the investigation was announced that it had opened its process to anyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, in response to Trump administration dictates to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The statement did not say when that decision was made.