WASHINGTON — A public university in Colorado has been hit with two federal civil rights complaints alleging that 20 scholarship programs are either illegally race-based or reserved for undocumented immigrants, The Post has learned.
Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) is accused of flouting Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars institutions of higher learning that discriminate based on race or national origin from receiving federal funds.
The complaints by the Equal Protection Project, a legal watchdog, were filed with the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights on Friday.
“We think it’s outrageous that universities funded by the federal government would have scholarships that discriminate against American-born students,” William Jacobson, Equal Protection Project president and founder, told The Post.
Of the 20 MSU Denver programs in question, 11 appear to be race-based while nine are alleged to be open only to illegal immigrants and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
In most cases, the programs use vague language that doesn’t explicitly rule out non-minority students, but implies they won’t be favored for awards.
For example, the Stephen & Ruth Jordan Student Access Endowed Scholarship says preference is given to first-generation students as well as “members of an ethnic minority.”
Another, the Irv Brown Endowed Scholarship, spells out an award of $3,000 or more to “undocumented and international students.”
MSU Denver, founded in 1965, has a student population of approximately 17,000 undergrads and 57% of enrollees are non-white, according to the university’s own website.
The school boasts of its status as a “Hispanic-Serving Institution … committed to serving DACA and undocumented students.”
“MSU Denver seeks to promote an inclusive community of learners, an awareness and appreciation of diverse perspectives and identities, and the establishment of policies, practices, programs, and resources designed to embrace and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion at MSU Denver,” the hompage proclaims.
A spokesperson claimed that the school “regularly reviews scholarship criteria to ensure compliance with current federal and state law.”
“MSU Denver’s modified open-access mission guides how we support all students, meaning students who are at least 20 years old with a high school diploma or GED are automatically admitted per state law,” the spokesperson said.
“The university awards more than $97 million in grants and scholarships to students of all backgrounds. These awards remove financial barriers for nearly 60% of MSU Denver students, setting them up for success in their careers and communities.”
Last summer, the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights announced probes into five colleges and universities over the awarding of scholarships based on national origin.
Since President Trump reclaimed the White House last year, Jacobson claims, many colleges and universities are rebranding and “hiding” discriminatory programs — including by requiring student login credentials to view scholarship prerequisites.
“They used to brag about it under the Biden administration,” he said of the discriminatory practicies. “Our challenge for 2026 is unmasking them.”
The Equal Protection Project specializes in filing federal complaints against colleges and universities over scholarships and other programs that allegedly violate the Civil Rights Act.
The group is guided by the philosophy that “there is no ‘good’ form of racism.”
