Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Title VI Violation, Illinois 2024

The Grimy Times has uncovered a shocking case of Title VI violation in Illinois. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has been found guilty of accepting funds from the federal government and then using race, color, or national origin to decide who benefits from them.

According to sources, the Commission’s Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program contained a provision that required ISAC to set aside at least 30% of funding for applicants of ‘African American or Black, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, or Native American origin.’

However, after the Justice Department notified ISAC of the compliance review, Illinois removed this DEI criteria from the Program as well as a number of other programs administered by ISAC. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division praised the State of Illinois for recognizing that ISAC cannot lawfully base its funding decisions on unlawful criteria.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division opened this review based on the provision of the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program. Title VI prohibits race, color, or national origin discrimination by recipients of Federal financial assistance, including the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

ISAC’s actions are a clear violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Commission’s decision to use race, color, or national origin to decide who benefits from the funding is a blatant disregard for the law.

The exact date of the compliance review is not specified, but it is clear that ISAC’s actions were under scrutiny for some time. The exact date of the removal of the DEI criteria is also not specified.

In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said, ‘State agencies may not accept funds from the federal government and then use race, color, or national origin to decide who benefits from them.’

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission is a state agency responsible for administering various programs related to student financial aid. The Commission’s actions have raised questions about the fairness and equity of the funding process.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. The exact sentence or outcome for ISAC is not specified, but it is clear that the Commission’s actions have been deemed unacceptable.

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