AG Rokita launches inquiry into Notre Dame’s DEI policies

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News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has issued a letter to the University of Notre Dame concerning the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and practices, which he claims potentially violate federal and state civil rights laws and the terms of the university’s nonprofit status.

Publicly available materials — including the university’s 2033 Strategic Framework — suggest that Notre Dame may treat students, prospective students, faculty, staff, and job applicants differently based on race or ethnicity..

Racial discrimination of any kind in educational settings violates fundamental moral and legal principles that are enshrined in state law. Attorney General Rokita said nonprofit universities that flout those principles and pursue race-based DEI initiatives may jeopardize their nonprofit status.

“Indiana will not tolerate racial discrimination in education under the guise of DEI,” Rokita said in a news release. “Fairness demands that every individual be judged on their merits, not the color of their skin. Notre Dame’s DEI policies raise troubling questions about whether, in its pursuit of DEI goals, the university may be crossing the clear line that Indiana law draws against racial discrimination. I am seeking answers.”

Notre Dame’s 2033 Strategic Framework describes various race-conscious DEI initiatives that it pursues. The Framework highlights efforts to increase “underrepresented” student and faculty numbers and track enrollment in classes taught by faculty who “look like” underrepresented students.

Notre Dame’s website also suggests that the university may host racially segregated “multicultural recognition ceremonies” for graduates.

These practices and others present serious questions about whether Notre Dame is in compliance with civil rights laws and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, in which the Court held that race-based admissions practices in higher education are unlawful, Rokita said in the news release.

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