The University of California, Irvine’s engineering school is under federal scrutiny after allegations surfaced that it implemented a race-based quota system. A civil rights complaint, filed October 30, 2025, by the Equal Protection Project (EPP), accuses the Samueli School of Engineering of violating federal law by targeting a minimum of 6% Black representation across faculty, staff, students, researchers, and partners—mirroring California’s Black population.
The EPP asserts this target amounts to an illegal racial quota under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The group points to the school’s own public statement: “We aim to reflect California’s demographics… by growing our population of Black faculty, students, staff, researchers, and partners to match or exceed the state’s current Black population of 6%.”
EPP contends that this policy goes beyond an aspirational diversity initiative and instead sets a fixed racial benchmark, a practice consistently rejected by the Supreme Court. The group cites key rulings such as Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), which struck down racial quotas in admissions, and City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co. (1989), which ruled that “unyielding racial quotas” are unconstitutional.
The complaint notes that after the federal challenge was filed, the engineering school quietly removed the referenced page from its website, though archived versions remain publicly accessible. UCI later issued a vague statement claiming it aims to foster inclusivity and is reviewing the complaint.
Federal agencies are now reviewing the complaint. If the Department of Education or Department of Justice finds a violation, UC Irvine could face enforcement actions requiring major changes to its policies. Other universities using similar demographic targets may also come under fire, as the legal and cultural battle over racial preferences continues to escalate.
