Page updated Feb. 16, 2026: Updated with information on appeals court ruling
Universities receiving federal funds must comply with civil rights laws that provide that no person shall, on the grounds of sex, race, color, or national origin, including shared ancestry, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under programs and activities that the university sponsors or promotes (Title VI and Title IX). The University鈥檚 requirement to comply with these laws is consistent with its wholehearted and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Those values are essential to serving our community and achieving the University鈥檚 mission and they remain a priority.
Compliance checklists
Starting in October 2025, University units were directed to review programs, policies, practices and partnerships to ensure they聽meet the standards outlined in several checklists. These checklists include an updated Programs and Activities Checklist, first developed in early 2024 at the request of unit diversity leaders, an Admissions & Scholarships Checklist, and an Employment Practices Checklist. Until or unless otherwise notified, units should use these checklists to guide their actions. Information about the checklists review was shared with the UW community on Nov. 25, 2025.
Additional information about the University’s commitment to upholding our responsibilities under Title IV has been shared with the UW community on May 15, 2025.
Executive orders and related actions
Diversity, equity and inclusion programs in federal agencies and in programs supported by the federal government are the subject of policy changes, including聽two presidential聽executive orders issued , and . More specific guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Attorney General has since been issued related to these orders.
On Feb. 6, 2026, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals regarding the orders, ruling that the executive orders could remain in effect and sending the case back to the lower court.
U.S. Department of Education letter
The 聽that gives its interpretation of聽Title VI聽and the U.S. Supreme Court decision in聽Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which banned the use of race or ethnicity in college admissions. The letter states that, as of March 1, 2025, the office鈥檚 interpretation prohibits 鈥渦sing race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.鈥� On March 1, however in April, federal judges put temporary blocks on the original letter. On Aug. 14, 2025, a federal judge in Maryland issued a ruling in a motion for summary judgement which struck down the Feb. 14 letter as unlawful on both procedural and constitutional grounds.
U.S. Department of Justice memo and investigations
Meanwhile, on July 29, 2025, detailing the programs and practices it considers to be unlawful and discriminatory. That includes “Using race, sex, or other protected characteristics for employment, program participation, resource allocation, or other similar activities, opportunities or benefits” except in rare cases, as well as the use of some “Facially neutral criteria (e.g. “cultural competence,” “lived experience,” geographic targeting) that function as proxies for protected characteristics…if designed or applied with the intention of advantaging of disadvantaging individuals based on protected characteristics.”
The UW was also included in a list of 60 institutions that聽聽said it is putting under increased scrutiny for compliance with Title VI, specifically regarding antisemitism. The University is also on a list of 45 institutions聽聽are being investigated under Title VI for partnering with The Ph.D. Project.