Civil Rights Complaint Targets Race-Based Scholarships At Pennsylvania Medical School
On June 18, 2026, the Equal Protection Project filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights against Thomas Jefferson University and Sidney Kimmel Medical College.[1]
The complaint alleges five scholarship programs violate Title VI and the Affordable Care Act's Section 1557 by discriminating on the basis of race, color and national origin.[1] Named awards cited in the filing include scholarships aimed at Black male students and scholarships for transgender or gender-nonconforming BIPOC students, plus grants that prioritize applicants from groups the school calls underrepresented in medicine.[1]
In February 2023, Cornell Law professor William Jacobson launched the Equal Protection Project to challenge race- and sex-based programs at educational institutions. On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard that race-conscious college admissions programs violate the Equal Protection Clause. Since then, the Equal Protection Project has filed more than 30 civil-rights complaints with federal agencies, including past HHS Office for Civil Rights challenges against Yale Medical School and Oregon Health and Science University.
The complaint asks OCR to investigate whether the scholarships violate Title VI and Section 1557 and to take enforcement action if it finds discrimination.[1] Sidney Kimmel Medical College had total medical school enrollment of 1,117 students in 2025.
The mainstream summary does not address the broader context of the surge in civil rights complaints against race-based scholarships, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. This ruling clarified that race-conscious programs must meet strict scrutiny, which has prompted organizations like the Equal Protection Project to file over 25 complaints alleging Title VI violations in scholarship programs that prioritize applicants based on race. This structural explanation highlights a significant shift in the legal landscape that is influencing the actions of educational institutions and advocacy groups alike. The summary also omits the specific findings from the Congressional Research Service, which noted that such programs were deemed unconstitutional due to their lack of measurable objectives and reliance on racial stereotypes, a perspective that underscores the contentious nature of race-based initiatives in higher education.[2]
Additionally, while the mainstream account mentions the specific scholarships targeted in the complaint, it does not provide the total enrollment figure for Sidney Kimmel Medical College, which stood at 1,117 students in 2025. This detail could provide context regarding the scale of the programs under scrutiny and the potential impact of the complaint on the student body.[3]
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📊 Relevant Data
Thomas Jefferson University's Sidney Kimmel Medical College has a total medical school enrollment of 1,117 students.
Thomas Jefferson University (Kimmel) - Best Medical Schools — U.S. News & World Report
📌 Key Facts
- On June 18, 2026, the Equal Protection Project filed a civil rights complaint with HHS’s Office for Civil Rights against Thomas Jefferson University and Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
- The complaint alleges five scholarship programs violate Title VI and ACA Section 1557 by discriminating based on race, color and national origin.
- Named scholarships include awards aimed at Black male students and transgender or gender nonconforming BIPOC students, and others that prioritize applicants from groups underrepresented in medicine.
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