Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University, announced that the institution does not intend to modify its programs in response to a Trump administration proposal that would revoke tax-exempt status from private schools and colleges providing certain race-based benefits.
Roth characterized the proposal as an attempt to coerce universities into eliminating programs that serve students of color. He argued that the administration is leveraging the Internal Revenue Service to advance what he described as the ideological priorities of the White House. According to Roth, Wesleyan does not currently operate programs exclusively for students based on race, but does provide support services to first-generation and low-income students, populations that he noted tend to be disproportionately comprised of students of color at the institution.
The Trump administration maintains that programs distributing benefits according to race constitute discrimination, regardless of whether they aim to foster diversity or remedy historical inequities. Administration officials contend that institutions may maintain programs using race-neutral criteria, such as income level or first-generation college status.
Roth warned that the prospect of losing tax-exempt status poses significant financial risks that could prompt institutions to voluntarily abandon programs before any government enforcement action. He characterized this dynamic as “anticipatory compliance,” noting that schools may alter or eliminate programs to avoid the expense of potential legal disputes, which he said can cost millions of dollars.
The Treasury Department and IRS project the proposal could affect approximately 18,000 private educational institutions if implemented. Legal experts noted uncertainty remains regarding whether the IRS possesses the authority to redefine racial discrimination in this manner and subsequently revoke institutional tax-exempt status. Legal challenges could potentially prevent the proposal from taking effect after May 2027, the currently projected implementation date.
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