The findings specifically referenced a violation of Title VI (six) of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.
The university has ended its relationship with the PhD Project and signed an agreement with the Department of Education to close the investigation.
Under the agreement, UK must report all partnerships with similar organizations and submit a report to federal investigators detailing other organizations that may have race-restricting eligibility.
UK President Dr. Eli Capilouto issued a statement saying in part, “The federal government, in this letter of finding and in other policy directives, has made clear that it is closely scrutinizing what we and other institutions do with respect to our financial support of identity-based organizations, both on campus and through external agreements. We must take that policy direction seriously. At the same time, we also must continue to take seriously our goal to be a community where different people and different perspectives can belong.”