The George Mason DEI scandal is the latest proof that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs often mean discrimination in practice. On Friday, the Department of Education determined that George Mason University, under President Gregory Washington, violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 “by illegally using race and other immutable characteristics in university practices and policies, including hiring and promotion.”
Acting assistant secretary for civil rights Craig Trainor captured the absurdity: “In 2020, University President Gregory Washington called for expunging the so-called ‘racist vestiges’ from GMU’s campus. Without a hint of self awareness, President Washington then waged a university-wide campaign to implement unlawful DEI policies that intentionally discriminate on the basis of race. You can’t make this up.”
Under a proposed resolution, Washington must issue a personal apology, affirm the university’s commitment to non-discrimination, and ensure annual training for all hiring and promotion officials. The Trump administration has already secured record settlements from elite universities—including $221 million from Columbia and $50 million from Brown—and is pressing forward with even larger actions against UCLA and Harvard.
At George Mason, the department’s investigation found that Washington “created an atmosphere of surveillance pertaining to the University’s hiring decisions in relation to DEI objectives.” Faculty hiring could bypass competitive processes simply to “strategically advance the institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
Conservatives have long warned that DEI initiatives disguise race-based favoritism. As Trainor emphasized, “President Washington then waged a university-wide campaign to implement unlawful DEI policies that intentionally discriminate on the basis of race.”
