University of Kentucky violated Civil Rights Act with conference participation, investigation says

Monica Kast, Lexington Herald-Leader on Oct 2, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky violated the federal Civil Rights Act by participating in a conference designed for students of color, according to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this year.

UK was one of more than 50 universities investigated by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights for allegations of providing “racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.” Several universities were investigated for attending the conference. Others were investigated for awarding race-based scholarships.

The investigation concluded and found UK in violation, because it had partnered with a program that “endorsed, promoted and benefited from a program that limited participation based on race,” according to a letter from the Office for Civil Rights.

UK was under investigation for its participation in The PhD Project, a networking organization that helps doctoral students complete their degrees.

“We will, as always, seek to comply with the law and policy direction we are given by federal policymakers. That is our responsibility. I believe it also is how we can best protect our people, their work and our mission to advance this state,” UK President Capilouto said in an email sent Wednesday evening.

Of those universities investigated, 45 were found to be in violation of the Civil Rights Act.

UK’s affiliation with The PhD Project was an annual conference, which UK paid $5,000 annually to attend, Capilouto said. Shortly after the investigation began, UK announced it had cut all ties with The PhD Project.

The Office of Civil Rights said The PhD Project was “a blatantly discriminatory program designed to benefit certain favored students based on their race or national origin to the clear detriment of other students who did not have access to the program because of their race or national origin.”

Capilouto has signed a resolution that will end the federal investigation, he said. UK will now submit a report within 60 days to the Office for Civil Rights that identifies any other organization that UK has a partnership or affiliation with that “may restrict participation based on race.”

The university must also indicate plans to end membership or affiliation with those groups, or if not, provide a reason why, he said.

“We will move quickly, but deliberately, to gather this information, evaluate whether it meets the criteria outlined by the federal government and determine whether we will terminate the relationship,” Capilouto said.

“This process will require a great deal of effort from a large number of people and units. We will do this work as efficiently as possible, seeking to minimize unnecessary disruption and, understandably, lessen anxiety and concern.”

A team has been assembled to look at relationships the university has with other organizations that may fall into that category, including participants from procurement and contracting, the provost’s office, Student Success, UK HealthCare and the treasurer’s office.

“The federal government — in this letter of finding and in other policy directives — has made clear that it is closely scrutinizing what we and other institutions do with respect to our financial support of identity-based organizations — both on campus and through external agreements,” Capilouto said.

“We must take that policy direction seriously. At the same time, we also must continue to take seriously our goal to be a community where different people and different perspectives can belong.”