Federal Administration Updates

Recent federal agency actions continue to impact Western research.

On Friday, February 14, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) stating that schools receiving federal funding must comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (SFFA). That ruling struck down race-conscious admissions policies and reaffirmed that institutions cannot consider race in decision-making unless they meet strict legal standards. The DCL extends this interpretation beyond admissions to include hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, DEI initiatives, student programs, and other aspects of campus life, asserting that race-based preferences in these contexts also violate federal law.

Dear Western Community, We would like to update you on recent developments concerning the implementation of Title IX. As you may have heard in the news, the US Department of Education recently issued a Dear Colleague Letter in response to a recent court decision, Tennessee v. Cardona. Consistent with that court’s ruling, the United States Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) intends to enforce Title IX under the provisions of the 2020 Title IX Rule, rather than the 2024 Title IX Rule.

We write with some updates concerning federal research grants. Despite all the recent activity around federal grants, Western's guidance to principal investigators remains unchanged: grant-funded work may continue as usual under the terms of the original award unless / until the award is formally amended. As of today, only a single Western grant has received a stop-work order and no Western awards have been amended, and therefore all other projects may continue work as originally planned.

Dear Western Students, As new federal executive orders are released each day, there is so much that is not yet clear about proposed changes to policy and law. I know our students and staff are worried about what these changes may mean for them, for their friends, their families, and our communities. Please know that the university is committed to providing you with the most accurate information we can. President Sabah shared information with the campus community yesterday, and regular updates and information on federal policy will be provided on the President’s website. The Office of Equity website provides information specific to immigration enforcement concerns. They are also leading a year-long initiative to grow belonging and community on our campus.