Washington University In St. Louis Agrees To Change Race-Based Scholarship

Washington University in St. Louis is doing an about-face on the idea of opening a blacks-only scholarship to other races. The decision comes after investigators from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights visited the school to follow up on a complaint filed by two civil rights groups that oppose racially exclusive programs and scholarships. As recently as a few weeks ago, Washington University insisted it would not change the Ervin Scholars Program, which provides full four-year tuition and a stipend for up to ten black freshmen a year. But, the change has been made and will go into effect for the 2005-2006 academic year. Saint Louis University recently replaced its blacks-only scholarship program with one that’s open to students of all races.