America First Legal (AFL), a conservative legal advocacy organization, announced on Jan. 7 that it had filed a 165-page federal civil rights complaint asking the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate WashU for alleged race- and sex-based discrimination in University programs and operations. 

The complaint, submitted to DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, accuses WashU of incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion criteria into multiple institutional functions, including admissions-related activities, faculty hiring, academic curriculum, contracting and procurement, and student services, while continuing to receive federal funding. 

The filing itself does not represent a finding of wrongdoing, and the DOJ has not indicated whether it will open an investigation.

WashU has publicly described equity, diversity, and inclusion as institutional priorities under the framework of “inclusive excellence,” a term used in University communications, strategic planning documents, and program descriptions.

In 2024, the University’s Center for Diversity & Inclusion (CDI) announced a reorganization that consolidated several student-focused offices under CDI, including Cross-Cultural Connections (CCxN), Spectrum, and the Office for International Student Engagement. CDI also oversees Dialogue Across Difference (DxD), an eight-week facilitated dialogue program and credit-bearing course focused on structured discussions about identity, power, and difference.

In addition to student affairs programming, WashU supports research and teaching related to race and equity through the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity (CRE²). CRE² provides funding for faculty research, grants and fellowships, and course development initiatives that examine race and ethnicity as areas of academic inquiry.

In May 2025, WashU leadership announced the formation of a University-wide committee to review programs and activities related to DEI, citing changes in federal law and guidance. By summer and early fall 2025, The Source reported that the effort had developed into the Inclusive Excellence Advisory Committee (IEAC), which was tasked with reviewing DEI-related initiatives across schools and administrative units.

AFL’s complaint argues that institutions receiving federal funds, like WashU — which receives hundreds of millions annually in federal research grants and other federal support — may not allocate benefits or opportunities based on protected characteristics such as race or sex under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. 

The complaint challenges WashU’s supplier diversity and procurement practices, citing programs that promote engagement with minority-owned, women-owned, and other demographically defined businesses. AFL argues that considering demographic status in supplier outreach or contracting may disadvantage vendors who do not meet those classifications.

The filing also references WashU’s Race and Ethnicity Cluster Hire Initiative (2020-2023), a faculty recruitment effort that supported hiring across multiple departments in an effort to promote scholarship on race and ethnicity. AFL argues that the initiative incorporated race-based considerations into faculty hiring through University-level funding, coordination, and recruitment priorities, citing public announcements and program materials.

A separate section of the complaint focuses on Olin Business School, alleging that DEI frameworks are integrated into required MBA coursework and evaluation. The filing references courses such as “Leading Across Differences” and other required leadership and organizational behavior classes that address identity, equity, and power.

It also cites Olin-affiliated scholarships and fellowships that AFL alleges are linked to protected characteristics, arguing that these funding mechanisms affect access to institutional benefits within the full-time MBA program.

In addition, AFL’s complaint is directed to the DOJ and requests review under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which governs institutions that receive federal funding. Instead of raising concerns through internal committees or faculty channels, AFL is asking the DOJ to evaluate whether WashU’s policies and programs comply with federal civil rights law. 

If the DOJ were to act, the process could involve document requests, policy reviews, and assessments of institutional practices tied to federal funding.

AFL also filed an earlier complaint against WashU’s School of Medicine in September 2025, which focused on DEI-related practices within a single school. The new complaint expands its scope to the University as a whole, citing admissions-related activities, faculty hiring initiatives, contracting and procurement practices, and required coursework across multiple schools and administrative units.

The Jan. 7 complaint also directly references WashU’s recent administrative actions, including the use of “inclusive excellence” language and the creation of DEI review and advisory bodies such as the IEAC. AFL characterizes these changes as structural reorganization rather than substantive policy revision, citing public announcements, committee descriptions, and University webpages as part of its argument.

The filing comes amid broader changes in federal guidance and court decisions affecting higher education, including increased scrutiny of programs that consider protected characteristics.

At this stage, the DOJ has not announced whether it will take action on the complaint. The filing itself does not establish a violation, but it places WashU among a growing number of universities facing external legal challenges to DEI initiatives at the federal level. 

Michael Mazzeo, dean and Knight Family professor at the Olin Business School, did not respond to Student Life requests for comment.

Julie Flory, vice chancellor for Marketing and Communications at WashU, declined to comment.