By: Fern Sidman

An anonymous Princeton University professor has issued a blistering condemnation of the Ivy League institution’s hiring practices, alleging rampant illegal discrimination under the guise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In comments first reported by City Journal and widely cited by The New York Post, the professor did not mince words in demanding accountability and federal intervention, including a congressional subpoena of Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber.

“I want this university severely punished for its unlawful behavior,” the anonymous academic told City Journal’s Christopher Rufo, in quotes highlighted by The New York Post. The faculty member claims that discriminatory practices have been embedded within the university’s hiring processes, specifically citing directives that purportedly prohibited the hiring of white candidates.

“We were told that 70 percent of the faculty are white, and that the faculty composition has to change,” the professor alleged. “You can’t shortlist this person. We can’t hire a white guy.” These chilling claims, if substantiated, point to a pattern of racially exclusionary practices that may violate federal employment law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to the information provided in The New York Post, the professor went further, characterizing the climate in academia as one dominated by fear and ideological conformity. “Academics are cowards,” the professor asserted. “They see the way the wind is blowing and either go quiet or jump on the bandwagon.”

The professor’s remarks arrive at a moment of growing national scrutiny over DEI programs in elite academic institutions. Universities across the country, including Harvard, Columbia, and Stanford, have faced criticism in recent months for what critics call ideological extremism, often manifesting as race-based hiring practices, censorship of dissenting viewpoints, and tolerance of antisemitic activism on campus.

The New York Post has consistently reported on these trends, particularly in light of widespread antisemitic demonstrations following the October 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel. Critics have charged that university administrators—including those at Princeton—have failed to adequately address rising hate speech and harassment targeting Jewish students, even as they double down on racially charged DEI policies.

 The anonymous professor argued that Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber should be subpoenaed by Congress, not only to answer for the university’s alleged antisemitism but also to defend his broader ideological commitments. “He must account for DEI and for the ‘systemic racism’ arguments that he’s made,” the professor said, as reported by The New York Post.

President Eisgruber, a constitutional scholar and longtime proponent of progressive reforms in higher education, has yet to publicly respond to the professor’s allegations. However, his administration has previously defended DEI initiatives as part of a necessary effort to foster inclusivity and correct historical imbalances.

Yet the professor’s charges, particularly those involving explicit racial quotas and exclusionary hiring mandates, could trigger serious legal and legislative consequences. If proven true, they would violate both federal employment statutes and long-standing Supreme Court precedents prohibiting race-based discrimination in hiring.

As The New York Post report noted, the professor’s demands are part of a larger conservative push for transparency and accountability within American universities. In recent months, lawmakers and watchdog groups have intensified calls for federal oversight of academic institutions that receive public funding while allegedly engaging in discriminatory or politically biased behavior.

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may be compelled to investigate the claims if formal complaints are submitted.

The unfolding controversy at Princeton is emblematic of a deeper cultural and legal clash now gripping academia: between those who view DEI initiatives as essential to social justice and those who see them as inherently divisive, unlawful, and corrosive to academic excellence and individual merit.

Whether or not the professor’s allegations lead to a congressional subpoena or federal enforcement action, the issue is unlikely to fade. Tensions around race, free speech, and antisemitism on campus remain at a boiling point—and the stakes, both morally and legally, are only rising.