Internal Cornell University records and whistleblower statements suggest the university implemented a hiring process prioritizing race and diversity over merit. The documents, cited in a City Journal report, imply that administrators pre-selected candidates based on race, skin color, sex, and national origin—without posting official job openings—effectively excluding others from consideration.
According to emails reviewed by City Journal and Cornell-affiliated sources, a member of a hiring committee described coordination with diversity officials—including Associate Dean Chelsea Specht and Associate Vice Provost Yael Levitte—to invite only one candidate who met diversity criteria. The report states that the Provost’s office was centrally involved in what critics call an “unlawful hiring scheme”.
Internal emails from December 2022 reveal that “diversity statements” were used as an initial filter. Committee members flagged statements deemed weak in DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) commitment. Applicants lacking strong diversity statements were dismissed early in the process regardless of academic qualifications.
The America First Policy Institute is preparing a complaint to the Department of Justice, accusing Cornell of violating federal civil rights laws by intentionally discriminating in faculty hiring. The City Journal summary asserts: “A faculty candidate pool was deliberately pre‑selected based on race, skin color, sex, and national origin”.
Cornell’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, has publicly insisted the university adheres to merit-based hiring: “we do not exclude anyone at Cornell for reasons irrelevant to merit”. In response to these allegations, a Cornell spokesperson stated the university “focuses on merit and prohibits discrimination,” and pledged to review any complaints of past misconduct.
The controversy raises larger questions about DEI policies in academic institutions amid increased federal scrutiny. In March 2025, the Department of Education launched investigations into 45 universities—including Cornell—for allegedly operating race-based programs that may violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Critics argue such practices compromise fairness and expose universities to legal risks.
This developing case puts Cornell at the center of a national debate over race-conscious hiring. As federal probes continue, both legal and reputational consequences loom. The university now faces mounting pressure to revise its hiring protocols or risk potential enforcement action.
