Legal Group Accuses Rutgers of Racial Discrimination in Scholarships

As of August 4th, 2025, a legal advocacy group has filed a civil rights complaint against Rutgers University, accusing the school of racial discrimination in its scholarship programs. The Equal Protection Project alleges that Rutgers is violating federal law by excluding white students from several scholarship opportunities targeted at African-American, Native American, and Hispanic students.

The complaint claims four Rutgers programs, including the Albert W. Dent Graduate Student Scholarship and the GEM Fellowship Program, are unconstitutional and in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The group argues that Rutgers' definition of "minorities" to include only certain racial and ethnic groups is discriminatory.

In response, Rutgers has stated that it remains committed to equal protections and will review the complaint. The university also indicated that two of the scholarships named in the complaint are no longer being administered by the school. Rutgers says it continuously reviews its programs to ensure compliance with federal and state laws.

The Equal Protection Project has filed similar discrimination complaints against other universities across the country. The group's founder, Cornell law professor William Jacobson, says racial discrimination in education is unacceptable, regardless of who benefits or is harmed.