Pennsylvania’s Thomas Jefferson University and its Sidney Kimmel Medical College are facing allegations that several scholarship programs discriminate based on race, according to a newly filed federal civil rights complaint.

Complaint Details

The Equal Protection Project filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, alleging that Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) and its Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC) operate or promote five scholarship programs that unlawfully discriminate based on race, color and/or national origin in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

The complaint argues that because TJU receives federal funding, including grants from the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health, the university is subject to federal civil rights laws governing recipients of federal funds.

Scholarship Programs in Question

The complaint lists the Jackson-Minton Scholarship, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells Scholarship, Visiting Medical Student Diversity Scholarship, Otolaryngology Research Fellowship Scholarship and the Visiting Medical Student Scholarship for Inclusive Excellence as scholarships it alleges are unlawfully discriminatory and violate Title VI, the Affordable Care Act, Pennsylvania nondiscrimination statutes and TJU’s own policies.

The Jackson-Minton scholarship is intended to benefit Black male students, and the Fells scholarship was developed for transgender or gender “nonconforming” BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students at the university.

Some scholarships are open to all qualified applicants, but the university specifically advertises prioritizing or seeking students from racially diverse backgrounds.

Response from the University

Thomas Jefferson University told Fox News Digital it “has not received notice of a complaint or pending investigation.”

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.