Smith College Faces Federal Probe Over 10-Year Transgender Policy, Risking Millions in Funding
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 26
Smith College Faces Federal Probe Over 10-Year Transgender Policy, Risking Millions in Funding
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 26
Summary
A May civil rights investigation accused Smith College of discriminating against female applicants by allowing transgender women to enroll, putting millions of dollars in federal funding at risk.
The Education Department’s probe also examines the college’s gender-neutral restrooms and locker rooms, widening scrutiny beyond admissions at the 151-year-old women’s college.
Defending Education — a conservative parents’ rights group with no formal tie to Smith — triggered the case after one of its lawyers reviewed the school’s policies following a 2025 commencement speech by transgender former admiral Rachel Levine.
The episode underscores how outside conservative groups are helping drive President Trump’s broader push to remake K-12 and higher-education policy around cultural and ideological issues.