SRU is one of four PASSHE universities named in a civil rights complaint filed by an out-of-state conservative group called the Equal Protection Project (EPP).
The complaint is related to the schools’ involvement with The Keystone Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), a program dedicated to recruiting and guiding racial minority students through STEM programs. EPP claims this discriminates against white and Asian students, who are not listed as eligible for the program.
“Slippery Rock University applied for a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant and was awarded funding for fall 2023. The grant funded…LSAMP [and] allowed several PASSHE universities to provide STEM learning opportunities in accordance with the grant and federal guidelines,” a university statement released on Jan. 29 said.
At SRU, the program is offered to biology, math, physics and engineering majors of color.
“We make this civil rights complaint against the four universities that comprise the Keystone Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation…for administering and promoting a program which discriminates on the basis of race, color, and/or national origin in violation of Title VI and the 14th Amendment,” the official complaint letter said.
The letter, sent to the Department of Education on Tuesday, named SRU, East Stroudsburg University, Millersville University and West Chester University in their claim.
“Slippery Rock University is aware of the Equal Protection Project’s (EPP) letter to the Department of Education. Slippery Rock University will wait to hear from the Department of Education, and will not comment further on the EPP’s letter,” the SRU statement said. “Slippery Rock is a first-choice regional public university, and remains committed to access, opportunities and excellence in STEM coursework.”
