The University of California, Berkeley, received a civil rights complaint on Tuesday, claiming that the institution promotes programs that are racially exclusionary and favor minority groups.
The Equal Protection Project, a conservative nonprofit, is urging the U.S. Department of Education to investigate these allegedly discriminatory programs.
One of the statements in the complaint addresses the issue of whether general students feel deterred from participating, regardless of the intent behind certain initiatives.
In the roughly 4,000-word complaint, five specific programs at UC Berkeley are mentioned as racially discriminatory.
The complaint alleges that the university is “adopting and promoting” these five programs in violation of federal law, specifically referencing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
The programs identified include:
- African American Student Development Agency (AASD): This facility is said to deliver “strong racial signals,” suggesting it’s primarily for Black students, which may deter others from engaging.
- Black Resource Center: The complaint claims this center is discriminatory since it’s characterized by the university as a safe space for “Black students to gather,” focusing on enhancing their experience.
- Latino Student Resource Center (LSRC): Allegedly, this center was created exclusively for the development of Chicano/Latino students, pushing other students away.
- African American Initiative (AAI) Scholarship: This $8,000 scholarship is scrutinized because it requires applicants to confirm their Black heritage and live in an “African floor” if awarded.
- Lloyd A. Edwards Scholarship: Allegedly, this $5,000 scholarship “discriminates against all non-Black and non-American Indian students” as it is limited to certain demographics.
The organization contends that a university’s “good intentions” do not exempt it from civil rights violations, arguing that the motive behind discrimination is irrelevant.
The complaint further claims that as a public entity, Berkeley’s actions violate the Equal Protection Guarantee under the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Department of Education has stated that it neither confirms complaints nor comments on ongoing investigations.
This isn’t the first time Berkeley has faced scrutiny from the federal government regarding its programs. In March 2024, the university was investigated for allegedly barring white students from joining certain community activities, which critics labeled as racist.
Additionally, students filed a lawsuit against the University of California Board of Regents in February 2025, alleging racial bias in hiring and admissions processes.
In May 2025, the Trump administration also initiated Title VI investigations into numerous universities, including Berkeley, over potential civil rights infringements linked to their diversity initiatives.
A spokesperson for Berkeley mentioned that the university would not comment on these latest allegations but reiterated its commitment to adhering to state and federal laws.
