07/31/2025

DOJ Intensifies its Scrutiny of Higher Education Leadership

The latest target is the staff of George Mason University

In a move critics say shows a new and deeper level of scrutiny into a college’s operations, the Department of Justice (DOJ) sent a letter to George Mason University saying it planned to review a Faculty Senate resolution that praised the school’s president, Gregory Washington, who has come under scrutiny from the Trump administration over his diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) policies.

The DOJ letter singled out a line from the resolution — which was stated as a fact, not as a policy supported by the faculty — that referred to a 2022 university goal to achieve "faculty and staff demographics that mirror student demographics."

"This statement is concerning as it indicates the GMU Faculty Senate is praising President Washington for engaging in race- or sex-motivated hiring decisions to achieve specific demographic outcomes among faculty and staff," read the Friday letter, obtained by The Washington Post, from Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon to the head of the board and the board’s lawyer.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.