The University of Virginia has entered into an agreement with the Trump administration to comply with federal anti-discrimination directives in admissions and hiring, marking the latest in a series of university settlements aimed at resolving government scrutiny over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.
The Justice Department began probing the Charlottesville campus in April, questioning its use of DEI programs that federal officials claimed violated laws prohibiting discrimination. Mounting pressure led President James Ryan to step down in June, saying he could not “fight the federal government in order to save my job.”
Under the deal announced Wednesday, the university will not face fines but must provide quarterly reports to the Justice Department proving compliance, personally signed by its president. Interim President Paul Mahoney said the agreement preserves academic freedom and the university’s eligibility for federal research funding.
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The settlement differs from those reached by Columbia and Brown universities, which included multimillion-dollar penalties. Virginia’s four-page agreement reaffirms the institution’s independence, with the government stating it will not dictate academic content or curriculum.
Mahoney pledged that while Virginia will align with federal definitions of discrimination, it will also “redouble our commitment to the principles of academic freedom, ideological diversity, free expression, and the unyielding pursuit of ‘truth, wherever it may lead.’”
The university remains under separate Education Department investigation for alleged antisemitism, which officials said is ongoing despite the new agreement.
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