The Trump administration has successfully pressured 31 universities to sever ties with The PhD Project, a nonprofit that helps racial minorities earn doctorate degrees. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights found that partnerships with the organization violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination in federally funded programs.

Major institutions including Arizona State, Ohio State, University of Michigan, Yale, Duke, and MIT ended their relationships with the group after the investigation began in March 2025. The administration argues that diversity programs often exclude white and Asian American students. MIT spokesperson Kimberly Allen said the school paid only "a nominal fee" to participate in the organization's university fairs.

Fourteen additional schools are still negotiating with the department, which is also requiring all 31 universities to review other partnerships for potential Title VI violations. The PhD Project, which claims to have helped more than 1,500 members earn doctoral degrees, maintains its mission is to provide role models in business classrooms. This campaign represents the administration's broader effort to eliminate what it labels as diversity, equity and inclusion practices across higher education.