Dear Wahoos & Friends,
This week on Turning Point, Harmeet Dhillon, the attorney leading the U.S.
Department of Justice’s investigation into the University’s compliance with civil
rights laws, revealed the real goal of the DOJ’s civil rights enforcement actions:
ideological control of universities. She said universities could lose the ability to
qualify for federal funding if they offer courses that are “inconsistent with the
national interest.”
INTERVIEWER:
“Where do you see the biggest hurdle for the civil rights approach that you’re
taking at the Justice Department? And I know you probably can’t comment
too specifically, but of the states, the institutions, the localities that are
pushing back, who do you see as pushing back the hardest or were the
most difficult to kind of get through?”
HARMEET DHILLON:
“Well, I’m not sure it’s difficult as such, because the law is on our side, but
there are competing concerns. For example, a competing concern being
articulated when we go after these universities for grossly violating the rights
of Asian and white students and discriminating against male applicants and
so forth as well.
You know, academic freedom. Oh, “we have the right to academic freedom”
and so forth. I don’t really think that’s quite on point, but what we’re not
doing is getting into micromanaging these schools as we’re talking to them
about correcting their wrong practices. They can go ahead and teach
Marxism and, you know, women’s studies and ethnic studies and
underwater basket weaving all day. It may affect the extent to which they
qualify for federal funding if what they’re doing is, you know, inconsistent
with the national interest. But you know, they can…they can…there’s no rule
that says that schools have to get federal funding. So, you know, we’re
doing a sort of a case-by-case analysis.”
That isn’t civil rights enforcement. It’s ideological extortion.
This should worry Republicans and Democrats alike. Once the precedent is set
that the federal government can tie funding eligibility to vague ideological
standards like “national interest,” no viewpoint will be safe.
What This Means for UVA
UVA is currently negotiating a Voluntary Resolution Agreement (VRA) with the
DOJ. In light of Harmeet Dhillon’s bombshell admission, any concession
beyond what the law requires is a capitulation to political coercion aimed at
forcing a public university to act “in the national interest,” as defined by the
Trump administration.
UVA should and must comply fully with all applicable federal civil rights laws.
However, UVA shouldn’t agree to anything beyond what the law requires. Any
“voluntary” terms that exceed legal compliance would legitimize a political
intimidation campaign that threatens not only UVA, but all of Virginia’s public
colleges and universities.
If UVA is forced to agree to demands that go beyond what the law requires as
its price to receive federal funds, it will open the door to endless federal
interference. The DOJ will return year after year, demanding new ideological
concessions and large financial payouts. The DOJ’s goal isn’t compliance—it’s
submission to ideological control.
Whether UVA is forced to bend to the DOJ’s demands will depend on whether
Virginia’s elected leaders have the courage to defend the Commonwealth’s
colleges and universities against federal overreach. We need them to reach
across the aisle and, in partnership with their fellow elected officials, defend
UVA’s right to reject any requirement that forces the University to act
beyond its obligation to comply with the law.
This moment demands strength, clarity, and bipartisan leadership. Please join
us in asking our elected leaders to use every legal, political, and financial tool
at their disposal to defend and protect UVA. Your voice matters!
TAKE ACTION
We need Virginia’s leaders to speak up and take action. Here’s what you can
do today to make a difference:
Click here to send an email to Virginia’s elected leaders urging them to
defend UVA against federal overreach.
Respectfully,
Ann Brown (College '74, Law '77) and Chris Ford (Engineering '87)
Co-Chairs, Wahoos4UVA
www.Wahoos4UVA.com
_______________________
Text of email to Virginia’s elected leaders
Dear Governor Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Sears, Attorney General Miyares, Majority Leader Surovell, and Speaker Scott,
I am writing as a supporter of the University of Virginia to urge you, regardless of party affiliation, to stand together in defense of UVA’s academic freedom, institutional independence, and constitutional rights as it negotiates a resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.
On Turning Point this week, Harmeet Dhillon, the attorney leading the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation into the University’s compliance with civil rights laws, revealed the real goal of the DOJ’s civil rights enforcement actions: ideological control of universities. She said universities could lose the ability to qualify for federal funding if they offer courses that are “inconsistent with the national interest.”
Here’s the full exchange:
INTERVIEWER:
“Where do you see the biggest hurdle for the civil rights approach that you’re taking at the Justice Department? And I know you probably can’t comment too specifically, but of the states, the institutions, the localities that are pushing back, who do you see as pushing back the hardest or were the most difficult to kind of get through?”
HARMEET DHILLON:
“Well, I’m not sure it’s difficult as such, because the law is on our side, but there are competing concerns. For example, a competing concern being articulated when we go after these universities for grossly violating the rights of Asian and white students and discriminating against male applicants and so forth as well. You know, academic freedom. Oh, “we have the right to academic freedom” and so forth. I don’t really think that’s quite on point, but what we’re not doing is getting into micromanaging these schools as we’re talking to them about correcting their wrong practices. They can go ahead and teach Marxism and, you know, women’s studies and ethnic studies and underwater basket weaving all day. It may affect the extent to which they qualify for federal funding if what they’re doing is, you know, inconsistent with the national interest. But you know, they can…they can…there’s no rule that says that schools have to get federal funding. So you know that we’re doing a sort of a case-by-case analysis.”
That isn’t civil rights enforcement. It’s ideological coercion.
This should worry Republicans and Democrats alike. Once the precedent is set that the federal government can tie funding eligibility to vague ideological standards like “national interest,” no viewpoint will be safe.
What This Means for UVA
UVA is currently negotiating a Voluntary Resolution Agreement (VRA) with the DOJ. In light of Harmeet Dhillon’s bombshell admission, any concession beyond what the law requires is a capitulation to political coercion aimed at forcing a public institution to act “in the national interest,” as defined by the Trump administration.
To be clear: UVA should and must comply fully with all applicable federal civil rights laws. However, UVA shouldn’t agree to anything beyond what the law requires. Any “voluntary” terms that exceed legal compliance would legitimize a political intimidation campaign that threatens not only UVA, but all of Virginia’s public colleges and universities.
If UVA is forced to agree to demands that go beyond what the law requires as its price to receive federal funds, it will open the door to endless federal interference. The DOJ will return year after year, demanding new ideological concessions and large financial payouts. The DOJ’s goal isn’t compliance—it’s submission to ideological control.
What You Can Do
Whether UVA is forced to bend to the DOJ’s demands will depend on whether you, as Virginia’s elected leaders, have the courage to defend the Commonwealth’s colleges and universities against federal overreach. We need you to reach across the aisle and, in partnership with your fellow elected officials, defend UVA’s right to reject any requirement that forces the University to act beyond its obligation to comply with the law.
This moment demands strength, clarity, and bipartisan leadership. Please use every legal, political, and financial tool at your disposal to defend and protect UVA. The Commonwealth of Virginia is counting on you.
Respectfully,
[Your name goes here]
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