The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, seeking a federal court order to compel the institution to produce records related to an agency investigation into alleged systemic discrimination in Harvard’s hiring practices, particularly involving white male employees. The suit, lodged in Massachusetts federal court, marks a significant escalation in a dispute that has been unfolding for over a year.

The EEOC’s complaint centers on claims that Harvard’s employment policies discriminate on the basis of race and sex. In April 2025, Andrea Lucas, the Republican chair of the EEOC, initiated a commissioner’s charge against Harvard, citing archived university data indicating a decline in the percentage of tenured white male faculty from 64% in 2013 to 56% in 2023. During the same period, the proportion of women, nonbinary individuals, and faculty of color increased from 36% to 44%. The agency also pointed to trends within tenure-track faculty, where white men’s share fell to 32% from 46%, while the combined percentage of women and faculty of color rose to 68% from 54%. Lucas contended that these patterns suggest ongoing discrimination and requested information beyond university faculty, including affiliated Boston hospitals and research programs.

Harvard has strongly disputed the allegations, submitting a legal motion in June that characterized the EEOC’s charge as retaliatory and based on a flawed interpretation of discrimination law. University counsel described a protracted exchange with the agency over document requests, noting that Harvard provided thousands of pages of materials earlier this year, only to face unresponsiveness from the EEOC. The university further criticized a subpoena issued on June 8, which it said broadened the scope of the investigation considerably. Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton described the EEOC’s actions as part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration aimed at pressuring the university, asserting that Harvard will continue to defend itself against what it views as unlawful government overreach.

This lawsuit represents the third legal challenge directed at Harvard by the Trump administration in 2025, reflecting a wider effort to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at elite institutions. Previous cases included an unsuccessful government suit alleging Harvard’s failure to address antisemitism on campus, which led to the dismissal of a related complaint by a federal judge in Boston; the Justice Department has since appealed this ruling. Another pending investigation concerns alleged discriminatory admissions policies against white applicants, with the administration seeking extensive internal documents.

In response to these pressures, Harvard also filed a lawsuit last year to prevent the administration from freezing $2.2 billion in federal research funding tied to demands for increased governmental oversight of its admissions, faculty hiring, and curriculum decisions. While a federal judge initially sided with Harvard by blocking the funding freeze, the government has appealed that decision, underscoring the ongoing legal confrontation surrounding the university’s policies and federal funding.