Letter <excerpts> from President Eisgruber on the University’s efforts to combat systemic racism

Dear members of the Princeton community,

In June, I wrote to you as America entered a profound national reckoning with racism.  That reckoning is at once painful, because the harms done by systemic racism have been exposed so starkly, and promising, because we are seeing widespread and urgent desire to

We must ask how Princeton can address systemic racism in the world, and we must also ask how to address it within our own community.  That is true even though, for at least the past fifty years, this University has committed itself to becoming more inclusive.  At a University that, for most of its history, intentionally and systematically excluded people of color, women, Jews, and other minorities, Princetonians— from the oldest alumni to the newest undergraduates — now take pride in the diversity of our community.  They thrill to the achievements of all our students, faculty, and alumni, and they want Princeton to be a fully inclusive community.

Racism and the damage it does to people of color nevertheless persist at Princeton as in our society, sometimes by conscious intention but more often through unexamined assumptions and stereotypes, ignorance or insensitivity, and the systemic legacy of past decisions and policies.  Race-based inequities in America’s health care, policing, education, and employment systems affect profoundly the lives of our staff, students, and faculty of color.

Racist assumptions from the past also remain embedded in structures of the University itself.  For example, Princeton inherits from earlier generations at least nine departments and programs organized around European languages and culture, but only a single, relatively small program in African studies.   <Source>

<excerpts>

Since you became President in 2013, and in exchange for well over $75 million in federal Title IV taxpayer funds alone, Princeton University (“Princeton”) has repeatedly represented and warranted to the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”) Princeton’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq. Title VI provides no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Also, Princeton has made many material nondiscrimination and equal opportunity representations to students, parents, and consumers in the market for education certificates during this time.

On September 2, 2020, you admitted Princeton’s educational program is and for decades has been racist. Among other things, you said  … <snip>

Based on its admitted racism, the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”) is
concerned Princeton’s nondiscrimination and equal opportunity assurances in its Program
Participation Agreements from at least 2013 to the present may have been false. The Department is further concerned Princeton perhaps knew, or should have known, these assurances were false at the time they were made. Finally, the Department is further concerned Princeton’s many nondiscrimination and equal opportunity claims to students, parents, and consumers in the market for education certificates may have been false, misleading, and actionable substantial misrepresentations in violation of 20 U.S.C. § 1094(c)(3)(B) and 34 CFR 668.71(c). Therefore, the Department’s Office of Postsecondary Education, in consultation with the Department’s Office of the General Counsel, is opening this investigation.

Based on the facts, the Secretary of Education may consider measures against Princeton  for false Program Participation Agreement nondiscrimination assurances, including an action to recover funds. Also, she may consider measures against Princeton for making substantial misrepresentations about the nature of its educational program, including a fine proceeding. The Department is aware of the challenges posed by COVID-19 to institutions of higher education. However, the serious, even shocking nature of Princeton’s admissions compel the Department to move with all appropriate speed.

For those wishing to read the letter in full and in context, it can be found here.