# Equal Protection Project v. University of Minnesota (BIPOC Design Justice Initiative) *Federal administrative complaint before the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, docket OCR 05-25-2077, filed November 14, 2024.* *Equal Protection Project v. University of Minnesota (BIPOC Design Justice Initiative)* is an administrative complaint about the BIPOC Design Justice Initiative at the [[University of Minnesota]]. The Equal Protection Project filed it on November 14, 2024, with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR).[^1][^2] The complaint alleges that the initiative was restricted by race and that it excluded white and Asian students.[^1] The record classifies the instrument at issue as Title VI program eligibility.[^1] OCR opened an investigation by a letter dated March 13, 2025, concerning the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. The matter carries docket number OCR 05-25-2077.[^3] As of the record, the opening of the investigation is the latest recorded step. No OCR finding, resolution agreement or dismissal appears in the record.[^3][^4] The Equal Protection Project's published files also include an OCR complaint about race-based scholarships at Minnesota State University Moorhead, another [[Minnesota]] institution.[^5] The record of this matter consists of the complaint, OCR's opening letter and the complainant's case page. It contains no court filing and no news coverage.[^1][^3][^4] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Complainant: the Equal Protection Project, which filed the complaint with OCR on November 14, 2024.[^1] - Respondent: the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, which is the campus named in OCR's opening letter.[^3] - Agency: the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education.[^2][^3] ### What - The complaint concerns the BIPOC Design Justice Initiative, which it alleges was limited by race.[^1] - The complaint alleges that white and Asian students were excluded from the program.[^1] - OCR opened an investigation under docket OCR 05-25-2077.[^3] ### When - November 14, 2024: the Equal Protection Project files the complaint with OCR.[^1] - March 13, 2025: OCR issues its letter opening the investigation.[^3] ### Where - The University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.[^3] ### Why - The record classifies the matter as one of Title VI program eligibility.[^1] - The record does not establish the university's reasons for the program's eligibility terms, and it contains no response from the university.[^1][^3] ### How - The Equal Protection Project filed an administrative complaint with OCR.[^1] - OCR responded with a letter opening an investigation.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Equal Protection Project, *OCR Complaint: University of Minnesota, BIPOC Design Justice Initiative* (November 14, 2024) — complaint to OCR alleging that white and Asian students were excluded from a race-restricted program; instrument recorded as Title VI program eligibility. https://equalprotect.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/OCR-Complaint-University-of-Minnesota-BIPOC-Design-Justice-Initiative-1.pdf [^2]: U.S. Department of Education, *Office for Civil Rights* (undated) — the department office with which the complaint was filed. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html [^3]: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, *Letter Opening Investigation, University of Minnesota Twin Cities* (March 13, 2025) — opens an investigation of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, docket OCR 05-25-2077. https://equalprotect.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/OCR-Letter-March-13-2025-U.-Minnesota-Twin-Cities-Opening-Investigation.pdf [^4]: Equal Protection Project, *Equal Protection Project v. University of Minnesota* (undated) — the complainant's case page for the matter. https://equalprotect.org/case/equal-protection-project-v-university-of-minnesota/ [^5]: Equal Protection Project, *OCR Complaint: Minnesota State University Moorhead* (undated in record) — OCR complaint about race-based scholarships at Minnesota State University Moorhead. https://equalprotect.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/OCR-Complaint-Minnesota-State-University-Moorhead.pdf