UW-Madison Ends PhD Project Ties Amid Federal Probe | Milwaukee News

Milwaukee News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 4, 2026 · 1m

UW-Madison abruptly severed ties with the PhD Project — a group dedicated to boosting diversity in business PhD programs — after a Trump-era federal probe raised alarms over potential racial discrimination. Though the university insisted its partnership was lawful and focused on outreach, not admissions, it cut off a $5,000 annual deal shortly after the investigation began. The probe, complicated by a government shutdown, eventually ended in a settlement that required UW to audit other partnerships for racial restrictions — without revealing which ones were affected. This move mirrors a…