Cornell University has agreed to⁤ pay $60 million and accept the Trump⁣ administration’s interpretation of civil ‍rights ​laws to resolve investigations into alleged discrimination and restore federal​ funding Reuters.The settlement ends a probe initiated ‍during the trump administration ⁢alleging that Cornell discriminated against students and employees based on national⁢ origin, race, and sex.

The Core of​ the Dispute

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for ‌Civil Rights (OCR) launched investigations into Cornell in 2020, alleging violations of Title⁣ VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which‌ prohibits discrimination based on ‍race, color, ‍or national origin in programs receiving federal funding U.S. Department of Justice. The OCR also investigated allegations of sex-based discrimination under Title IX.

The Trump administration argued ⁣that Cornell’s policies and practices discriminated against ​Asian American ⁣applicants​ in its admissions‌ process. ​ Specifically, the OCR claimed Cornell’s admissions policies had a disparate impact‌ on asian American applicants, effectively creating a barrier ⁣to thier acceptance.Cornell denied these allegations.

Key Terms of ⁢the Settlement

The ‍$60 million settlement is divided ‍into two ⁣main components: $37.5 million will be allocated to a settlement fund for individuals who ​claim they were harmed by Cornell’s alleged discriminatory practices. the remaining​ $22.5 million will ⁢be paid to the U.S. Treasury The New York Times. ‍

Beyond the financial payment,⁢ Cornell has agreed to several important changes ⁣in its policies and procedures, including:

• Implementing a new admissions ​review process designed to be more objective⁣ and less susceptible to bias.
• Providing increased openness in its ⁤admissions data and reporting.
• Establishing a extensive compliance program ⁣to monitor and address ⁤potential discrimination.
• Submitting to ongoing monitoring by the Education Department for the next five years.

The Broader Implications⁢ for Higher Education

This settlement⁢ is ⁢part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration targeting universities over admissions policies, ‌particularly concerning affirmative action and the consideration of race‍ in admissions. The Supreme Court’s decision in ‍ Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of north Carolina (2023) effectively ended affirmative action, ⁤further intensifying ‍scrutiny ​of