The wave of canceled partnerships follows investigations launched last March by the U.S. Department of Education into 45 universities tied to the group. On Feb. 19, officials said 31 schools had reached agreements to resolve the probes, pledging to review any affiliations with organizations that limit participation based on race and either end those partnerships or justify keeping them.
“It’s terrible,” said Wil Del Pilar, senior vice president at The Education Trust, an advocacy group focused on equity in education. He added that programs like the PhD Project help open doors to academia and foster a sense of belonging for students from historically underrepresented communities.
“There is no evidence that students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds lose access or opportunity,” he added.
The PhD Project said it has opened its conference to students of all racial backgrounds interested in pursuing business doctorates. However, it remains unclear how many additional partnerships could be affected by the federal agreements. Some universities say talks with the U.S. Department of Education are ongoing as they continue reviewing affiliations.
Jason Thatcher, now an information systems professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, said the PhD Project provided vital support when he was a doctoral student at Florida State University, helping him navigate the isolation he felt while completing his dissertation.
“I hope that the PhD Project and other organizations like it will be afforded the opportunity to support other people like me,” he said. “My hope is that universities and The PhD Project will find new ways to partner and support students.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
