DOJ launches probe into George Mason University’s faculty hiring, citing concerns over alleged race and sex discrimination.

Justice Department Scrutinizes GMU Hiring Practices

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened a formal investigation into George Mason University (GMU) to determine whether the university engaged in discriminatory hiring practices in violation of federal civil rights law. The probe, which was authorized by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, centers on whether GMU’s faculty hiring decisions used race and sex as motivating factors, contrary to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“It is unlawful and un-American to deny equal access to employment opportunities on the basis of race and sex,” Dhillon stated. “When employers screen out qualified candidates from the hiring process, they not only erode trust in our public institutions—they violate the law, and the Justice Department will investigate accordingly.”

The investigation was triggered in part by a 2020 email from GMU President Gregory Washington, in which he outlined plans to create new promotion and tenure policies benefiting faculty of color and women. The email, sent to a faculty listserv, also discussed developing mechanisms to recognize the “invisible and uncredited emotional labor that people of color expend” on campus.

In a letter to the GMU Board of Visitors, the DOJ said it has “reason to believe” that these factors played a role in faculty hiring and advancement, prompting a full investigation to determine if a “pattern or practice of discrimination” exists at the university. “We have not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigation,” Dhillon clarified.

Federal Crackdown on DEI Initiatives Intensifies

The probe into GMU comes amid heightened scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public institutions. The Trump administration has prioritized rolling back such policies, issuing multiple executive orders aimed at restoring merit-based opportunity and ending what it terms “illegal discrimination.”

As part of these efforts, the Education Department in February launched the “End DEI” Portal, inviting students, parents, teachers, and concerned citizens to report perceived DEI activities in publicly funded K-12 schools. The federal government’s approach has already led to high-profile resignations in academia, including the recent departure of University of Virginia President James Ryan, who cited pressure from the administration as a key factor in his decision to step down.

“To make a long story short, I am inclined to fight for what I believe in, and I believe deeply in this University,” Ryan wrote in a public statement. “But I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job.”

George Mason University, through its legal representative Mike Fragoso, has not yet responded publicly to the investigation. The outcome of the DOJ’s inquiry could have significant implications for hiring practices and DEI policies at universities nationwide.