University of Chicago cuts ties with Ph.D. program for students of color

31 universities nationwide end partnerships with The Ph.D. Project amid federal investigation

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The University of Chicago is among 31 universities nationwide that have cut ties with The Ph.D. Project, an organization known for helping students of color attain doctoral degrees, amid an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. The department concluded that the program's race-based eligibility violated federal civil rights law, leading the universities to terminate their partnerships.

Why it matters

The Ph.D. Project was founded in 1994 to increase diversity among business school faculty by providing students of color with access to job and mentorship opportunities. Its termination at the University of Chicago and other top universities raises concerns about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in higher education.

The details

The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights started investigating 45 university agreements with The Ph.D. Project nearly a year ago as part of the Trump Administration's goal to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. The department concluded that the program's race-based eligibility violated the federal Civil Rights Act, leading the universities to terminate their partnerships.

  • The Department of Education's investigation into the university agreements began nearly a year ago.
  • The University of Chicago discontinued its engagement with The Ph.D. Project prior to receiving the notice of investigation.

The players

The Ph.D. Project

An organization founded in 1994 to increase diversity among business school faculty by providing students of color with access to job and mentorship opportunities to help them earn doctoral degrees.

U.S. Department of Education

The federal agency that launched an investigation into 45 university agreements with The Ph.D. Project, concluding that the program's race-based eligibility violated the Civil Rights Act.

Gerald McSwiggan

The Director of Public Affairs at the University of Chicago, who stated that the university discontinued its engagement with The Ph.D. Project prior to receiving the notice of investigation from the Office for Civil Rights.

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What they’re saying

“This is the Trump effect in action: institutions of higher education are agreeing to cut ties with discriminatory organizations, recommitting themselves to abiding by federal law, and restoring equality of opportunity on campuses across the nation.”

— Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education (Department of Education)

What’s next

The 31 universities that have cut ties with The Ph.D. Project have agreed to conduct a review of their partnerships with external organizations to identify any that violate federal law by restricting participation based on race, potentially leading to the termination of additional university partnerships in the future.

The takeaway

The University of Chicago's decision to cut ties with The Ph.D. Project, along with 30 other top universities nationwide, highlights the ongoing tension between efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education and federal policies aimed at eliminating such programs. This case raises broader questions about the future of race-conscious initiatives in academia and the balance between promoting equal opportunity and addressing systemic inequities.