This bill establishes the Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education within the Department of Education, aiming to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws in higher education. This office will investigate allegations of race-based discrimination in admissions, financial aid, and academic programs at institutions receiving federal funds, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard College . The Special Inspector General, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will receive and review complaints from applicants, students, or employees regarding violations of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 . The office will also examine federal policies that might inadvertently encourage such discriminatory practices and make recommendations for remedial actions, employee discipline, and assessments of an institution's eligibility for federal funding. A key provision amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, stipulating that any institution found by the Secretary of Education to have engaged in race-based discrimination in admissions, financial aid, or academic programs, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause or Title VI, will become ineligible to receive federal student assistance or federal institutional aid . The Special Inspector General is authorized $25,000,000 for its operations and is mandated to submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing its activities and institutional compliance, with the office set to terminate 12 years after enactment.
This bill establishes the Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education within the Department of Education, aiming to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws in higher education. This office will investigate allegations of race-based discrimination in admissions, financial aid, and academic programs at institutions receiving federal funds, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard College . The Special Inspector General, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will receive and review complaints from applicants, students, or employees regarding violations of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 . The office will also examine federal policies that might inadvertently encourage such discriminatory practices and make recommendations for remedial actions, employee discipline, and assessments of an institution's eligibility for federal funding. A key provision amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, stipulating that any institution found by the Secretary of Education to have engaged in race-based discrimination in admissions, financial aid, or academic programs, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause or Title VI, will become ineligible to receive federal student assistance or federal institutional aid . The Special Inspector General is authorized $25,000,000 for its operations and is mandated to submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing its activities and institutional compliance, with the office set to terminate 12 years after enactment.