University of Minnesota’s summer research program criticized for being restricted to non-white candidates

University of Minnesota’s summer research program is being heavily criticized after it restricted its paid undergraduate internship program to only non-white applicants.

The Equal Protection Project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation has demanded that the University of Minnesota’s Office of Undergraduate Studies change its application process, opening it up to all students regardless of skin color.

“The U. Minnesota segregated summer program is inexcusable, and it’s shocking that a major university would so openly make educational opportunities open only to students of a certain skin color,” Bill Jacobson, president of the Equal Protection Project (EPP), told Fox News Digital. “EqualProtect.org calls on the university immediately to open up the summer program to students of all races, ethnicities, and skin colors. There is no good form of racial discrimination. Depriving white students of educational opportunities does not promote racial or any other form of justice,” Jacobson continued. “U. Minnesota’s conduct is inexcusable. There is no good form of racial discrimination.”

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According to the university’s Office of Undergraduate Studies website says that the Multicultural Summer Research Opportunities Program (MSROP) is, “an intensive 10-week summer program in which undergraduate students of color work full-time with a faculty mentor on a research project.” 

The university will be doling out a $6,000 stipend to every student who is selected under the program to cover their personal and research expenses. But the basic criteria to be eligible for the program is that you have to be a person of color. The purpose of the program is “to prepare students of color and Native Americans for graduate school.” The application form that all applicants are required to fill out also asks for the student’s demographic information.

An official federal civil rights complaint was sent to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) on Friday, May 19, where they accused the university of attempting to discriminate against White students. They also demanded for UMN’s discriminatory practices be discontinued immediately.

“We urge the U.S. Department of Education to fully investigate how pervasive segregationist practices are at U. Minnesota. Federal funding should not be used to promote educational opportunities restricted by skin color,” Jacobson told Fox News Digital. “Federal funding for U. Minnesota needs to be reevaluated.”

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The EPP cited Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in their complaint, pointing at what UMN’s internship program violates.

“We all thought racial segregation in education as government policy ended with Brown v. Bd. of Education, but unfortunately it has been reborn under the umbrella of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” Jacobson said. “Whatever you call it, it’s immoral and illegal, and U. Minnesota needs to stop treating students differently based on skin color.”

“At EqualProtect.org we believe that the remedy for racism can never be more racism, it’s equal treatment of all persons without regard to race,” Jacobson continued. “Unfortunately, U. Minnesota appears to think that pitting students against each other based on race by making educational opportunities available based on skin color is the answer, but that just compounds the problems.”