Duke Faces Civil Rights Probe, Federal Funding Freeze; Campus Events, Sports Kickoff, and Opportunities Highlight Busy Week

Good afternoon, Blue Devils! It's Monday, August 4, 2025, and here's what's happening at Duke University. The U.S. Department of Education has initiated a civil rights investigation into Duke University and the Duke Law Journal over allegations of race-based discrimination in editor selection practices. The probe focuses on claims that the university used race, color, and national origin as factors in selecting law journal members. Additionally, the Trump administration has frozen $108 million in federal research funding to Duke due to these allegations. The National Institutes of Health halted the funding following a letter from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Education Department accusing Duke of racial preferences in hiring, admissions, scholarships, and more. The administration demands the university dismantle any race-based advantages and establish a new government-approved Merit and Civil Rights Committee to oversee reform. Duke has not yet responded to these allegations. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-government-probes-duke-university-latest-federal-funding-threat-2025-07-28/?utm_source=openai), [apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/23a70359ee44a21fdc55bef6dfe52413?utm_source=openai)) On August 21, Duke's Research Integrity Roundtable will host a virtual event titled "Much Ado About Peer Review." This session will explore the strengths and shortcomings of the peer review process and discuss potential alternative processes for maintaining high-quality published research. The event is open to current Duke faculty, staff, and students. Duke Football is set to kick off the 2025 season with a home game against Elon on Thursday, August 28, at 7:30 p.m. at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Season and single-game tickets are now on sale. In Field Hockey, the Blue Devils will open their season on August 29 against Liberty at home. The team is excited to host the 2025 NCAA Championship semifinals and finals at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium, marking the first time a national champion will be crowned on Duke's home turf. ProPublica's Emerging Reporters Program is accepting applications until August 18. This program provides $9,000 stipends, mentoring, and a trip to a journalism conference for five students who work or want to work at college journalism outlets. It's a great opportunity for aspiring journalists to gain experience and support. Currently in Durham, it's partly sunny with a temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures are expected to rise throughout the day, reaching a high of 81 degrees by late afternoon. Intermittent clouds are expected, with temperatures cooling to the mid-70s in the evening. That's all for today's update. Stay informed and have a great day, Duke!