Racial Discrimination Complaint Filed Against Santa Clara University Demands Federal Investigation into Black Corporate Board Readiness Program

Photo by Rikesh Mehta ‘23

This story was updated at 8:30 p.m. PST on Thursday, October 24, 2024.

A civil rights complaint filed Wednesday by the Equal Protection Project calls for a federal investigation into Santa Clara University’s Black Corporate Board Readiness program, claiming the University encourages racial discrimination through its support of the program. 

Santa Clara University’s Black Student Union, Igwebuike, is “disgusted and appalled” according to a statement made to The Santa Clara Thursday evening. “This claim is filled with anti-Black sentiments.”

The complaint, filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, states Santa Clara University is in direct violation of Title VI due to its support of the  Black Corporate Board Readiness program. Title VI prohibits intentional discrimination based on race, color or national origin within universities receiving federal financial assistance. The program also allegedly disregards the 2023 Supreme Court decision on Students For Fair Admissions v. Harvard. This ruling struck down affirmative action, making it illegal for universities to admit or exclude students based on characteristics like race. 

The Black Corporate Board Readiness program was created in 2020 in response to what co-founders Thane Kreiner—former Executive Director of the Miller Center for Social Enterprises—and Dennis Lanham—Sr. Assistant Dean of Executive Education and Executive Director of the Leavey Executive Center—called a “dearth of Black membership” in corporate American leadership. The program is designed to help “accelerate diverse representation in corporate governance by preparing highly experienced, qualified Black leaders,” according to its website.

“The Black Corporate Board Readiness program openly discriminates on the basis of race,” said Equal Protection Project Founder William A. Jacobson in an email to The Santa Clara. “It's hard to understand how [Santa Clara University] allowed this program. Where were the administrators whose job it is to fight racial discrimination?"

The targeting of Black Corporate Board Readiness is “clearly rooted in White supremacy,” according to Igwebuike. The complaint simply highlights the reason the program exists at all: there is a “pressing need for spaces where Black voices are not only heard but valued, especially in environments where these voices are historically marginalized and overlooked.”

The Equal Protection Project calls for “remedial relief” for all students “illegally excluded” from the Black Corporate Board Readiness program. 

As of Wednesday night, Santa Clara University had not received notice of the complaint and had no comment, said Director of Media and Internal Communications, Deborah Lohse.

Igwebuike is demanding Santa Clara University’s administration offer swift support for the program. “Neglecting to make a statement only reinforces the microaggressions and blatant racism that Black students experience daily on this campus,” said Igwebuike. “This is a time for Santa Clara University to show that they stand with Black students — past, present, and future.”