The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division has launched a sweeping civil rights investigation into the University of California (UC) system, including its individual campuses, over allegations that its faculty hiring practices may violate federal anti-discrimination laws.

At the center of the inquiry is the UC system’s ambitious “UC 2030 Capacity Plan,” a strategic initiative intended to expand educational capacity, improve diversity, and meet state-wide workforce demands. According to the DOJ, elements of the plan focusing on race – and sex – based metrics for faculty hiring may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

The DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs issued a press release on Thursday, June 26, 2025, announcing the opening of the investigation and including a formal notice letter to UC President Michael Drake. In the letter, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated the Department’s intent to determine whether the UC system has engaged in a pattern or practice of unlawful employment discrimination in violation of federal law.