The Department of Justice ruled that three race-based programs aimed at diversifying STEM are unconstitutional.
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The National Science Foundation can no longer administer three programs meant to boost racial and ethnic diversity in science, technology, engineering and math fields after the Department of Justice ruled that they were unconstitutionally considering race or gender.
The decision, issued Wednesday, calls for the termination of long-running programs that aim to help students from underrepresented backgrounds earn STEM degrees, build capacity for STEM education at Hispanic-serving institutions and diversify STEM faculty. The opinion also claimed there are unconstitutional aspects of two other programs, which can continue as long as the sex-specific elements are removed.
Together, the three discontinued programs accounted for about $104 million of the $938 million that Congress most recently allocated to the National Science Foundation for STEM education. The DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel said the NSF can still use the money on other initiatives related to STEM education. The NSF has spent decades trying to attract more women and racial minorities to STEM careers, but the agency shifted its priorities in spring 2025 to align with the Trump administration.
