New Civil Rights Leaders Confirmed by Senate

Shawna BrayKeeping Up with CEO

Recent confirmations and appointments in key federal civil rights roles are a powerful step forward in restoring equal treatment under the law and ending racial preferences in government and the workplace. New Commissioner Brittany Bull Panuccio joins the EEOC after serving the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and before that, as Nominations Counsel. Acting Chair Andrea Lucas declared that, now that the EEOC has a quorum, the agency is now “empowered to deliver fully on our promise to advance the most significant civil rights agenda in a generation.” The EEOC’s current objectives signal a decisive shift away …

The End of Disparate Impact?

Louis ChuangDisparate Impact

In the update below, CEO extern Louis Chuang discusses how the EEOC will no longer use disparate impact theory to bring claims of discrimination against employers. The Center for Equal Opportunity has long been a critic of disparate impact, testifying before Congress, writing opinion articles on the topic, and most recently moderating podcasts to explain the origin of disparate impact theory and its consequences.  As a result of Executive Order 14281, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy,” the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it will close all pending charges based solely on allegations of disparate impact discrimination by September 30, 2025. The EO instructed agencies to …

The Rise of Latino Conservatism

Center for Equal OpportunityKeeping Up with CEO

CEO chairman Linda Chavez visited Washington University in St. Louis this month to discuss rising conservativism among Hispanics and the role immigration policy may play in that movement.  Chavez addressed a packed meeting of the Federalist Society and Latin American Law Student Association.  Joining Chavez was Washington University Law School professor Sheldon Evans.  Chavez told the audience that the rise of Latino conservatism has been taking place over decades, a phenomenon she chronicled in her first book Out of the Barrio: Toward a New Politics of Hispanic Assimilation. She noted that more than 50 years ago, President Richard Nixon received nearly one-third of Mexican Americans’ votes in his re-election, while both …

Linda Chavez on Federalist Society’s Explainer Series

Center for Equal OpportunityGovernment Activity

Linda Chavez discusses proposed regulatory changes to federal contracting rules following the Trump Administration’s revoking Executive Order 11246. The program is part of the Federalist Society’s Explainer Series. Joining Chavez is Brett Sweringen, formerly of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). They cover the history of both the OFCCP and the now revoked Executive order 11246, the scope of the recently proposed regulatory changes, and the potential implications of these changes.  Related posts: Bad Old Regulations CEO Applauds Trump Administration’s Civil Rights Actions US v Metcalf TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY …

Photos from CEO Fellowship 2025

Center for Equal OpportunityKeeping Up with CEO

CEO recently hosted its Fourth Annual Civil Rights Fellowship in Washington, D.C.  CEO Fellows heard from a variety of experts in constitutional and civil rights law and history as well as receiving media training. Our instructors included:  Craig Trainor, Nominee Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Housing and Urban Development   Eric Dreiband, Former Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Department of Justice  Kenneth Marcus, Former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education  Gail Heriot, Commissioner, U.S. Civil Rights Commission, Professor of Law, University of San Diego Law School  Maimon Schwarzschild, Professor of Law, University of San Diego …

The Truth About Affirmative Action

Center for Equal OpportunityUncategorized

by Jason L. Riley, CEO Board Member – this post originally appeared on the WSJ. He requires colleges to submit data proving they don’t engage in racial discrimination. One reason it took so long for the Supreme Court to ban the consideration of race in university admissions, which it finally did two years ago in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, is that the justices previously took college administrators at their word. It is a mistake that the Trump administration doesn’t intend to repeat. A memorandum President Trump signed last week directs colleges that receive federal funding to submit admissions data to …

Government withholds $108 Million as Duke law review, Duke Health probed for racial bias

Center for Equal OpportunityUncategorized

This article originally appeared on The College Fix Duke Law Journal, Duke Health under scrutiny Two federal agencies have launched probes into Duke University to investigate claims of racial bias as the government pauses over $100 million in funding to the elite institution. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into Duke University’s law journal and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office froze $108 million in National Institutes of Health grants as it probes Duke Health. Both actions cite Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which forbids institutions that receive federal funds to …

‘Black Scholars Matter’ program at Cal State Northridge faces civil rights complaint

Center for Equal OpportunityEducation

This post originally appeared on The College Fixby Jenna Triplett – University of Tennessee Knoxville  Civil rights experts say program could be ‘violating the law’ The “Black Scholars Matter” program at California State University Northridge violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 according to a new federal complaint shared with The College Fix. Civil rights activist Mark Perry filed a complaint against the program, which he called a “racially exclusionary program that illegally excludes and discriminates against non-Black students.” He cited evidence found on the program’s website, including the program’s description, comments from the founder, and promotional videos featuring exclusively …

Podcast: Disparate Impact and the Future of Equal Opportunity

Center for Equal OpportunityDisparate Impact

In this episode, experts explore the origins, evolution, and controversy surrounding disparate impact law—from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to landmark Supreme Court decisions like Griggs v. Duke Power Co. (1971) and Wards Cove Packing Co., Inc. v. Atonio (1989), to the legislative response in the Civil Rights Act of 1991.  What is disparate impact liability? How has it shaped outcomes in employment, housing, and equal access to opportunity? Is it a justifiable basis for legal liability without evidence of disparate treatment?  Join us for a conversation on one of the most debated legal doctrines in American civil rights …

CEO Selects Fourth Annual Class of Civil Rights Fellows

Center for Equal OpportunityAbout CEOUSA

Dear friends, I am pleased to introduce to you the 2025 class of CEO civil rights fellows. This August, the fellows will participate in our intensive seminar-style program in Washington, D.C. This fellowship is a first-of-its-kind program within which fellows receive instruction and training in civil rights caselaw, enforcement practices, and public policy. For example, fellows will learn the history of major civil rights laws, become familiar with major Supreme Court decisions in this area, and learn about current controversies surrounding civil rights law and enforcement. The seminars will be led by law and policy experts, litigators, former government officials, and other thought leaders. Fellows will also …