The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has filed a federal civil rights complaint against Cornell University, accusing it of systemic discrimination in its hiring practices, scholarships, and faculty policies. The complaint alleges these actions are driven by illegal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates.
The complaint was submitted to the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It presents evidence that suggests Cornell discriminated against job candidates based on race and sex, excluded students from scholarship opportunities due to race and ethnicity, and eliminated faculty position applicants based on ideological statements.
The allegations question whether Cornell misled the federal government regarding its compliance with civil rights laws while receiving over $1 billion in federal funding. The university’s current president, Michael Kotlikoff, is named at the center of these allegations for his role as provost during the implementation of these practices.
Jessica Hart Steinmann, AFPI’s Executive General Counsel stated: “This is about civil rights. Cornell’s practices violate federal law and fundamental principles of equality. It’s time for the government to act.”
The complaint highlights a race-conscious hiring scheme within a STEM department at Cornell that reportedly excluded over 98% of candidates based solely on immutable traits. Additionally noted is a Weill Cornell Medical School program offering $50,000 incentives for recruited faculty from preferred racial categories which has since been deleted. Scholarships restricted by race or ethnicity are also cited as violations of federal law.
AFPI urges federal agencies to investigate potential violations by Cornell under Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and the False Claims Act. The institute emphasizes that taxpayers, students, and employees have a right to know if university officials falsely certified compliance with civil rights laws to secure taxpayer funds.
For further details or to read the full complaint text online or request interviews via email at [email protected].