Lawsuit accuses Cornell University of excluding White candidates from faculty hiring

Cornell University is facing a federal lawsuit that alleges it excluded White candidates from consideration for a faculty position, raising fresh legal questions about how diversity initiatives intersect with civil rights law.

The complaint, filed last week in Wright v. Cornell University, claims the university allowed diversity, equity and inclusion administrators to create an interview list composed only of “underrepresented minority scholars.” According to the lawsuit, Cornell “intentionally discriminated against qualified candidates by brazenly refusing to consider white candidates,” in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The plaintiff filed the case with attorneys from the America First Policy Institute, a think tank founded by advisers to former President Donald Trump. He alleges he was “highly qualified” for the faculty role and would have applied had the job been publicly posted.

Posting policy and internal emails

The complaint also claims that emails show the university kept the job opening private, despite an internal policy requiring faculty vacancies to be posted on Cornell’s website for at least five business days. The plaintiff argues that this alleged failure prevented him and other potential applicants from competing for the position, according to Higher Ed Dive.

DEI programs under Title VII scrutiny

The case comes amid broader scrutiny of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education and the workplace. Several recent legal challenges have argued that certain DEI practices may conflict with Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has invited White men who believe they were subject to bias to file claims with the agency. Early outcomes of such claims have been mixed, Higher Ed Dive reports.

In response to the shifting enforcement climate, employment law attorneys have advised institutions and employers to reassess their policies. Jonathan Segal, a partner at Duane Morris and managing principal of the Duane Morris Institute, wrote in an August 2025 op ed for HR Dive that organizations should review whether any initiatives provide preferential treatment based on protected characteristics.

What the case may test

The Cornell lawsuit is likely to test how courts evaluate hiring practices that prioritize diversity goals against statutory protections that apply to all applicants. At issue is not only the specific faculty search but also the boundaries of lawful DEI efforts in a period of increased litigation and political attention.
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