Organizations, including Elis For Rachael and the National Alliance of Mental Illness, set up tables, showcasing different displays. The outdoor setting marked a change from previous years, with the association hosting the fair in Berkeley College’s buttery and multipurpose room last year.

“Our main goal with this event every year is to spread awareness about not only the resources, opportunities to engage with Student Wellness here on campus, but also in the greater New Haven community,” said Hubert Tran ’27, co-director of the Yale Student Mental Health Association.

Tran said that the program was dependent on “close collaborations” with on-campus organizations — including YC3 and the Good Life Center — alongside non-profit organizations involved in mental health awareness and support, such as Actives Minds. 

He acknowledged that due to the association’s position as a campus organization, the majority of the event’s attendees tended to be members of the Yale community. However, Tran noted that through its collaboration with non-Yale-affiliated organizations, the Yale Student Mental Health Association could reach a broader audience.

“Being outside, I feel like, attracts a lot of people who are just walking through the quad,” noted Taylor Gainey, a representative for Alliance For Prevention and Wellness. “[The organizers] try to make it very interactive, especially just bringing more resources and materials to Yale campus.”

Shruti Parthasarathy ’24 SPH ’25 — the chair of the Yale Student Mental Health Association’s graduate branch — echoed these remarks. She hoped that the event would help publicize the existing mental health resources and support available for graduate students. 

According to Tran, the number of organizations participating in the event had increased from previous years. He emphasized that the association hoped to “revive” the event, noting that engagement had declined following the COVID-19 pandemic.

At 1 p.m., the Yale Student Mental Health Association began a scavenger hunt for the events’ attendees and participants, after partnering with Whales Of Yale, a student initiative known for hiding crocheted whales across campus. The association provided an additional hint about the whale’s location later in the afternoon. 

“We’re hoping to get to see people that usually wouldn’t approach La Casa and share the resources that we have available,” said Isabel Nuño ’27, a peer liaison at La Casa Cultural. “There’s so many ways to get involved, and not only for undergrads, but for graduate students and for people in the community.”

She emphasized that La Casa and its resources are available to all members of the community. Nuño noted that La Casa has YC3 officers who were specifically assigned to the cultural center, while peer liaisons for first-year students and student coordinators also offered support to community members.

She encouraged students to spend time at La Casa, whether that be to study or spend time with friends.

“Sometimes it’s scary to approach the center just because you feel like, if you weren’t there at the beginning of the year, you can’t come now, or if you’re not part of a club, then you have no reason to be there,” said Nuño. “But that’s not true … whatever you want, we’re there for that” 

Elis For Rachael was founded in April 2021.

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The letter, which was sent to eight Ivy League universities, argued that these institutions’ tuition prices were influential on the cost of other universities and colleges, establishing an “umbrella effect” in which institutions would be able to increase tuition beyond the costs that “a competitive market” would produce.

The document was addressed to University President Maurie McInnis and authored by Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Wisconsin Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley and Utah Sen. Mike Lee.

“We are particularly concerned that Ivy League member institutions appear to collectively raise tuition prices while engaging in price discrimination by offering selective financial aid packages to maximize profit,” wrote the lawmakers.

The University spokesperson told the News that Yale was reviewing the letter.

The letter cited a 2022 lawsuit filed against 17 institutions — including UPenn, Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth and Yale — that accused the universities of coordinating in order to limit the amount of financial aid provided to students.

The federal government has previously allowed institutions of higher education to use “common principles of analysis” when awarding financial aid, excluding them from antitrust law in a 1994 act of Congress. However, the lawmakers emphasized that this decision no longer applies.

“In 2022, after nearly 30 years of collusion, Congress allowed the exemption to expire,” wrote the congressmen. “The structure and operation of the higher education market strongly suggests the market is not functioning properly and is subject to widespread violations of antitrust laws.”

The letter pointed to the Council of Ivy League Presidents’ efforts to standardize the college application process, as well as increasing costs of tuition alongside higher demand and growing endowments, as possible indicators that collusion was occurring.

It also listed a lawsuit that accused the Common Application facilitated an increase in application fee prices, and another that alleged that the College Board had allowed institutions to reduce the amount of financial support students received, as grounds for concern.

According to the document, institutions “requiring students to purchase on-campus housing and meal-plan packages in addition to course tuition after they have secured students’ enrolment for the year undermine consumer choice and restrict competition in the secondary market.” 

Yale College currently requires first years to purchase a full meal plan — priced at $4,300 per semester for the 2024-25 academic year — and undergraduates to remain on-campus housing during their first two years of enrollment. 

“Lack of clarity regarding how higher education institutions calculate and allocate the funding for indirect costs in federally funded research projects suggest a lack of competition for public funding among colleges and universities,” wrote the lawmakers.

The statement comes alongside the Trump administration’s attacks on higher education, including freezing federal funding for six members of the Ivy League — Cornell, Princeton, Harvard, UPenn, Brown and Columbia.

The letter requested that the University cooperate with the congressmens’ efforts to review the institution’s current practices and determine whether legislative reforms are “necessary.”

It also asks that Yale provide “all documents and documents” from Jan. 1, 2019 onwards, regarding indirect costs, financial aid and early admissions practices, among other areas listed as possible grounds for concern.

The Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions is located at 38 Hillhouse Ave.

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The introduction comes after Yale College Council advocacy for expanded options in dining halls to address the nutritional needs of students with dietary restrictions. The “avocado pulp” will be available in Berkeley, Davenport, Grace Hopper, Jonathan Edwards, Pierson, Timothy Dwight, Trumbull Breakfast Express dining halls.

“I’ve had it literally every day. I really wanted the avocado spread back,” said Amy Choi ’27, “I remember when they said they were doing Breakfast Express, I was like, “Oh, that means the avocado spread is coming back.”

Choi noted that the dining halls served avocado during her first year at Yale. 

She emphasized that the taste seemed similar to what she remembered, although she added that she has begun adding bagel seasoning for additional flavor.

Abigail Jolteus ’25 said that she was “thrilled” about the addition. She explained that though she usually puts the spread on a bagel, she also regularly adds toppings and seasonings.

“Honestly, I love it. I love avocado in general and I feel like you can’t really go wrong with it,” Jolteus said. 

Nina Bodow ’28 noted that she had seen the new offering advertised on screens in Berkeley’s dining hall and decided to try the new offering. According to Bodow, the dining hall appeared to be out of toast that morning, so she reached for a bagel to complete her meal. 

She said that the flavor did not taste artificial or “pre-smashed.” Bodow observed that although she had been concerned about the temperature — whether it would be too cold — the avocado was at room temperature “in a good way.” 

“I don’t normally have time to eat breakfast. But I can see myself reaching for [the avocado],” Bodow told the News. “In [Breakfast Express], I would still prefer yogurt or oatmeal, but it’s definitely a good save for your breakfast.” 

Ninety percent of avocados in the United States are sourced from Mexico.   

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Koelle will begin his five-year term on July 1. He succeeds Head of College Alicia Schmidt Camacho who announced that she would be stepping down from the position in late January, after serving within the Ezra Stiles community for over 15 years.  

“Professor Koelle is an excellent choice as he articulated his ability to build community among a diverse group of individuals and also his willingness to help each individual reach their potential,” wrote Alison Cole, chair of the search committee behind the appointment, in an email to the News. 

Koelle teaches “Biochemistry and Biophysics” — a course often taken by first years — and “Principles of Biochemistry” which he has taught for over 25 years. He served as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry major for 13 years. 

According to Koelle, the idea of serving as a head of college has interested him for many years. He plans to enter the position by exploring all the current traditions that Ezra Stile has, and emphasized the “great community” that has developed under the leadership of Camacho.

“I think [the residential college system] is the crown jewel of Yale College,” said Koelle. “The whole idea here is for Yale to be more than the sum of its parts. And you achieve that when you build a community where individuals can interact with each other and make each other better. 

Koelle will be accompanied by his wife, Dr. Lore Gruenbaum. Gruenbaum is the chief scientific officer of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society — a non-profit health organization that invests in research on blood cancer and provides patient services — and will act as associate head of college.

Koelle and Gruenbaum’s daughter is a member of the incoming first-year class, while their son is a current sophomore at Yale. cq

“Professor Koelle and Dr. Gruenbaum are avid amateur classical musicians – they met not through science but rather playing chamber music at a workshop sponsored by the Yale School of Music,” Lewis wrote in his Monday email announcing the selection.

Camacho said that the current head and associate head of college are not involved in the selection process. However, she noted that her role was to consult the Dean of Yale College and talk with Lewis about Ezra Stiles and its community.

“He and Dr. Gruenbaum are going to be wonderful for this community. I think they bring tremendous gifts,” said Camacho. “Given their incredible record as educators and in the fields that they [pursue]  — I’m sure they’re going to be brilliant.”  

A search committee – composed of students, faculty members and Ezra Stiles fellows – was appointed by Lewis after Camacho stepped down. The group reviewed candidates’ applications throughout February. According to Diego Faria ’26, who served on the committee,  a shortlist was then submitted to the Dean’s Office, who interviewed the remaining candidates. 

Faria said that Koelle’s application had particularly stood out to him. He noted that the group had taken time during the search process to discuss the qualities and values that they were looking for in a head of college.

“Somebody that had that sort of a human touch to sit down with students, have a conversation with them,” said Faria, offering an example. “They are not our parents, but they sure as hell give us a ton of advice. A lot of it is that empathy and that delicate touch when having a difficult conversation.” 

Koelle told the News that he was excited to be involved in undergraduate education, pointing to his previous experience as chair of the Yale College Teaching, Learning and Advising Committee. He noted that he hoped to get to know students not only in an academic context, but as “whole people.” 

Ezra Stiles College is located at 302 York St.

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The office oversees a variety of funding initiatives, from the Rhodes scholarship to Yale-specific opportunities, such as the First-Year Summer Research Fellowship. Candidates are evaluated based on their strengths and how well their applications fit the fellowship’s objectives. 

“We have had record numbers of students applying for all fellowships this year,” said Emma Rose, director of the Office of Fellowship Programs. “It’s great that students are hearing about the opportunities available to them and using the resources available through our office.”

She noted that the number of summer fellowship applications has increased over recent years, as student travel has risen to its level prior to the pandemic. However, Rose noted that this number fluctuates each year, influenced by each class’ different “interests and needs.”

Fellowships are financed through endowed funds provided by donors — often alumni — who aim to support student access to various summer experiences, including internships, research and public service projects.

The Trump administration has previously suggested it considers increasing the endowment tax. The University has an endowment income of $1.9 billion in the 2024 fiscal year, with 18 percent of its income used towards funding financial aid.

Associate Dean of STEM Fellowships Alexia Belperron told the News that no changes to first-year fellowship funding will occur this year. Seventy-five percent of fellowships are funded by different endowments; the remaining 25 percent is provided by the College.

However, she emphasized that the number of First Year Fellowship recipients would remain comparable to previous years, with an acceptance rate of around 75 percent. 

Belperron noted that cuts in the University’s federal funding would not directly impact STEM fellowships issued through the Yale College Dean’s Office, the research opportunities available may become increasingly limited.

“Loss of grant funding could be devastating for professors and research faculty and staff that work with them, the research itself, and of course all of their trainees (postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students),”wrote Belperron.

Yale College Dean Pericles Lewis noted that cuts in federal funding would likely have a greater impact on graduate students and postdoctorates, as the stipend for undergraduate students is a comparatively small part of a faculty member’s budget.

However, he acknowledged that individual faculty members might want to hire fewer research assistants, which in turn could limit overall access to research opportunities.

“Summer funding is the kind of thing that I worry about, because while it’s important and valuable, it’s probably a little bit more discretionary than some of the other expenditures, like paying for financial aid during the academic year,” said Lewis. 

The Office of Fellowships and Funding is located at 55 Whitney Ave.

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In the library, the officers found the suspect seated at a desk carrying money, with a supposed firearm visible in their pocket, Yale Police Department Chief Anthony Campbell wrote to the News. Upon taking the individual into custody, the officers determined that the weapon was fake.

YPD Lieutenant Jay Jones, who supervised the arrest, said that the arrestee was “probably not” a Yale student or affiliate. YPD Chief Anthony Campbell clarified that the department has “no information regarding any Yale affiliation.”

“The 28-year-old individual was taken into custody without incident,” Campbell wrote to the News on Thursday evening. “The investigation remains active and at this point the person’s identity remains unknown.”

According to Campbell, the arrestee was charged with breach of peace in the second degree — a catch-all charge for social disturbance — and with brandishing a fake firearm. He added that further charges might be added depending on the result of the police department’s ongoing investigation into the incident.

Students seated on the top floor of Bass, adjacent to Room C80A, reported that around 1:40 p.m., a person seated at a wooden cubicle was arrested. According to Kierstin Gehres ’27, who was seated across from the cubicle where the arrested individual sat, the officers entered Bass through the tunnel from Sterling Library and approached the individual. 

Campbell wrote to the News that a responding officer observed “what appeared to be a black handgun” sticking out from the individual’s pocket.

“The item was immediately secured, and a second similar item was observed in the opposite pocket,” Campbell wrote. “Both items were determined to be realistic-looking facsimile firearms” — convincing copies of the weapons.

Campbell noted that officers learned that the individual was also in possession of multiple live nine-millimeter cartridges and a four-inch folding lock blade knife.

After taking away the false weapons, the officers escorted the individual out of the library. Officers were spotted surrounding two police vehicles parked on Alexander Walk, the path between Beinecke Plaza and Berkeley College, at approximately 2 p.m. A third police car was parked at the end of the walkway, on College Street. 

Officers escorted the individual to a police vehicle. The police cars left the area at approximately 2:10 p.m., with one driving along Alexander Walk towards York Street and the other towards College Street. 

Thursday’s arrest marked the second YPD action on Cross Campus in two days, after officers took into custody an individual allegedly attempting to break into Berkeley College with a cloned ID card. Jones said that this frequency of on-campus arrests is not unusual for the campus police. 

The Yale Police Department was founded in 1894.

Olivia Woo, Jerry Gao, Baala Shakya, Yolanda Wang and Karla Cortes contributed reporting.

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However, the DOE can only be formally closed through an act of Congress. The department’s congressionally mandated services and programs — such as data collection — are required by law and would have to be provided regardless of the department’s standing. 

The Trump administration has said that these responsibilities will be reallocated to other federal departments, citing the DOE’s cost, decreasing testing scores amongst children and the efficiency of student loan programs in the March executive order. 

The News spoke with experts in higher education and educational policy, discussing the department’s relationship to private universities and how a reduction in the DOE’s operating capacity — as well as its potential closure — could impact institutions such as Yale. 

Student Loans & Grants 

The Department of Education oversees an over $1.6 trillion student loan debt portfolio for students providing this financial support to approximately 43.2 million students. It determines student eligibility as well as the amount of financial support offered to recipients. 

The department uses a standardized formula to determine the amount, distributing student loans and grants — including Pell Grants — directly to borrowers and recipients. It also sends the information acquired through the formula to colleges and universities, allowing the institution to determine how much financial support it will independently provide. 

The Trump administration has said that financial aid would not be impacted by cuts to the department. Last Friday, Trump announced plans to move the federal student loan portfolio from the DOE to the Small Business Administration.

However, Bryan J. Cook — the director for higher education policy in the Work, Education, and Labor Division at the Urban Institute, a think-tank based in D.C. — noted that this shift could complicate student access to aid. 

“Imagine what happens if you move that to a completely new agency for oversight who’s never had to manage applications for federal financial aid,” Cook said. “I don’t know that it is going to necessarily be a smooth transition.”

The privatization of student loans was also promoted in Project 2025, an outline of Trump’s second presidential term published by the Conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation. This change would mark a change from the Higher Education Act of 1965, which established the federal government as the primary provider of student loans as opposed to banks. 

Sara Partridge, associate director for Higher Education at the Center for American Progress, noted that student loans are uncollateralized. If an individual fails to pay a car loan or mortgage, there is an asset — a car or home — that can be repossessed; this is not the case for student loans. 

She noted that banks may be hesitant to provide financing for a student that they “deemed risky.” Partridge added that individuals who appear to pose a higher risk may face worse repayment terms, such as higher interest rates. 

“Federal financial aid is really an access tool so that people from all backgrounds can afford to attend college,” she said. “We can see how [privatization] could make access to higher education very unequal. … There would definitely be concerns that some people would not be able to get loans at all”

Dean of Yale College Pericles Lewis told the News that the situation’s volatility made him unable to make predictions; however, he did expect that there will be “some decline in funding for higher education, including research, in the coming year.”

Enforcement of civil rights law

The Department of Education also oversees the enforcement of civil rights laws on college and university campuses through the Office of Civil Rights. Around 45 percent of the OCR has been placed on administrative leave in recent layoffs. Seven of its 12 regional offices — which conduct civil rights investigations into schools, interviewing students and faculty — were closed. 

Jennifer Berkshire, co-author of “The Education Wars” and Bloch Lecturer in Education Journalism at Yale, noted that although the majority of complaints received by the DOE from parents of kids with disabilities at the K-12 level, the DOE’s focus has shifted away from these investigations. 

“Those complaints are now on hold. [The administration is] basically saying that their priority is going to be to investigate what they consider reverse discrimination, antisemitism, and then examples of gender ideology,” said Berkshire. 

The department recently opened two investigations into antisemitism on Yale’s campus. 

Berkshire noted that unlike in previous administrations, the department has begun investigations on the basis of news stories — as opposed to complaints filed by individuals. She pointed to an investigation into gender neutral bathrooms at a Denver high school as a recent example. 

Over a dozen research grants to Princeton University were put on hold on Tuesday. The Trump administration said that the institution had not sufficiently complied with its priorities or attempted to combat antisemitism. Columbia and UPenn are also facing federal funding cuts. 

Professor of Law and Educational Practice at Teachers College at Columbia University, Michael A. Rebell, noted that the OCR’s operations have been “severely” curtailed. He said that if the department were eliminated, the administration would delegate civil rights complaints and investigations to another branch of the federal government, such as the Department of Justice. 

“It won’t be the same robust operation, that’s for sure,” he said. “The Civil Rights activity of the federal government under this administration is not likely to be any late years proactive on racial discrimination claims at any level as past administrations.”

Data collection

The Department of Education is required by Congress to collect data from all colleges and universities that receive federal funds. According to Cook, the data provides insight into higher education, with the information often helping policymakers not only to assess the effectiveness of institutions, but of federal policy. 

Partridge pointed to the Institute of Education Sciences as an example, noting that the organization’s National PostSecondary Student Aid study — conducted over multiple years — provides data into student loans, as well as the education and employment outcomes of students enrolled in a four year degree. 

“In terms of [the data] required by law, it’s things like student enrollment by race, graduation rates, cost of attendance — tuition and fees, books, supplies, distributed federal aid so that there’s some documentation of how much Federal aid is being awarded to students and institutions,” said Cook.

Cook noted that data collection on universities and colleges that receive federal funds is a congressionally mandated function of the DOE. He emphasized that dissolving the Department of Education does not eliminate this requirement.

He said that unless Congress were to act, the federal government would need to designate these obligations to another agency. 

“There are a lot of things that are written into the law that the Department of Education is required to do,”  said Cook. “Before you can shutter the department, you’d have to figure out either where those services or programs would go or whether or not they would continue to exist.”

Access to education

Berkshire emphasized to the News that the administration’s focus appeared to be mitigating the influence of institutions including Yale, as well as limiting the number of students able to attend college and universities. 

“[The administration thinks] too many kids are going to college, too many of the wrong kids are going to college, and that places like Yale have too much influence over the culture,” said Berskhire. “They’re basically proposing a profound shift in the way that we think about who gets to go to college, but also what college is for.” 

The Department of Education began operating in 1980.

Correction, April 11: Rebell is a professor at Teachers College, not Columbia Law School.

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The new flavor replaces the “pomegranate raspberry” sorbet that first appeared in the Branford dining hall alongside a “chocolate fudge” flavor around early February. The shift to sorbet followed supply chain issues with the Chocolate and Vanilla Oatly Ice Cream — an oat milk-based soft-serve option — previously offered in Branford and Saybrook dining halls.

“It’s delectable. It’s fun and it’s fresh and it’s the first taste of spring. It’s been so gray out, and this feels like personified sunshine,” said Sasha Fedderly ’27. “It’s 1,000 percent changed my mood. I’m a brighter, happier person because of this sorbet.”

The News independently verified the brand of the sorbet as Dannon’s Dairy Free YoCream “Mango Sunrise” sorbet upon inspection during a machine refill. The company is based in Portland, Oregon.

Dannon’s website describes their selection of sorbet flavors such as Green Apple, Key Lime, Kiwi Strawberry, Passion Orange Guava, Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade. Dannon shares that their sorbet is vegan, Kosher certified, free of artificial colors and flavors, dairy, cholesterol and gluten. One serving of the sorbet includes fewer than 100 calories.

Fedderly plans to eat at Branford dining hall more frequently following the sorbet flavor’s addition. Nneka Moweta ’27 echoed these remarks. She told the News that she had already indulged in two servings of the sorbet.

Students are able to enjoy the two flavors individually, or as a combined “swirl.” Joseph Kayne ’27 noted that he preferred the sorbet to the Oatly soft-serve. He emphasized that although the chocolate fudge did not “work” as a sorbet flavor, the mango sorbet did.

“This is it. They found the sweet spot. It’s delicious,” said Kayne. “Branford was already the best dining hall, but now they added this. It’s even better.”

Camille Chiu ’26 described similar feelings regarding the mango and chocolate fudge flavors. 

“I like it. It’s very creamy and sweet. I feel like sometimes ice cream flavors can be very superficial, like the strawberry one, but the mango is good,” said Chiu. “Chocolate is chocolate, but mango is kind of special.”

India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes.

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With the summer abroad season approaching, the News looked into past study abroad statistics and figures, analyzing the data provided by the Office of International and Summer Programs from 2018 to 2024. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international travel was suspended from the summer of 2020 until the spring of 2022. These years have been omitted from the graphs below. Data is grouped in terms of academic years, which includes each succeeding summer. 

Ever wonder where Yalies fly off to when they study abroad? Check out the graphs below to check out the top regions they choose for academic adventures:

Europe has consistently been the most popular travel destination, with 72 percent of study abroad experiences taking place across the continent during the 2023-24 academic year. Asia and Latin America were the second and third most visited regions, respectively. 

Assessment and Director of Study Abroad Kelly McLaughlin told the News that the percentages of participation by class year tend to remain relatively stable. 

During the 2023-24 academic year, the majority of participants — approximately 53 percent — were rising sophomores. Rising juniors made up nearly 24 percent of Yale students studying abroad and rising seniors around 23 percent. 

Economics, history, political science, computer science and MCDB — molecular, cellular and developmental biology — were the top five most common majors amongst students who studied abroad last year, while the majority of participants were undeclared. 

Approximately 23 percent of graduating seniors in the class of 2024 studied abroad for credit during their time at Yale, a two point increase from the preceding class year. However, McLaughlin emphasized the impact of the pandemic on these figures.

He suspects that the graduating class’ participation in study abroad will eventually rise towards 50 percent, noting that 47 percent of the pre-COVID-19 class of 2019 studied abroad for credit. However, he acknowledged that there was no “guarantee” that the numbers would increase. 

The majority of study abroad experiences occur over the summer, as opposed to during the academic year or individual semesters. 

The number of students participating in YSS and non-Yale study programs this year has yet to be finalized. However, McLaughlin expects the data from the 2024-25 academic year to be similar to previous years’ statistics, with possibly higher numbers overall. 

He noted that the Office of International and Summer Programs was conscious of the travel bans recently announced by President Donald Trump. The office is working to assess the situation alongside the Office of International Students and Scholars, as well as other colleagues in the field of study abroad. 

“In terms of travel bans, we’re watching this very closely together,” he said. “We aim to provide the best guidance and support possible to students as/if needed. This landscape is still evolving, of course.” 

The United Kingdom was the most visited country throughout all three academic years. 

Cecile Tchano Tchandja ’28 will attend the London School of Economics over the summer. She noted her excitement to experience a new culture alongside other Yale students.

She added, “Personally, I love — not bad weather — but dreary, gloomy weather, and that is what London and the UK is so famous for. So I’m excited to kind of be a part of that and see London’s culture.”

Sofiia Tiapkina ’28 plans to pursue studies in Chinese at the CET Beijing program this summer. She will receive full funding for her trip — including financial coverage of room and board, tuition and transportation — through Yale’s Richard U. Light Fellowship Award. 

Tiapkina emphasized her anticipation for the program. She noted that although she was still in the process of applying for a visa and securing plane tickets, this final preparation was an “exciting challenge.”

“Language learning is really important,” said Tiapkina, referencing the program’s “language pledge,” which encourages students only to speak in Chinese. “I would really like the opportunity to really focus on language … In a way, it’s kind of restricting, but also, liberating.”

Waitlisted Yale Summer Session programs abroad applicants will receive a decision by April 1. 

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The announcement follows a “Dear Colleague” letter released on Feb. 14 which established the Trump administration’s interpretation of the Civil Rights Act and threatened to pull federal funding from universities over race-conscious practices. The letter cited hiring, admissions and “all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life” as areas subject to review by the department.

The department’s recent announcement cited allegations that the institutions’ partnerships with The PhD Project “limited eligibility based on race,” potentially violating  Title VI  of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in federally funded programs. Yale — alongside  peer institutions Cornell, Duke and MIT — were among the listed institutions. 

“The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination.” Linda McMahon, the United States Secretary of Education, said in the press release. “Today’s announcement expands our efforts to ensure universities are not discriminating against their students based on race and race stereotypes.”

The PhD Project offers events, mentorship and networking resources to business doctorates. According to its website, the initiative partners with universities, businesses and “Strategic Alliance” partners — organizations able to connect their members with the PhD Project — in its mission to bolster diversity amongst business school faculty. 

In an email to the News, The PhD Project wrote that the organization has opened its membership application to anyone. 

“The PhD Project was founded with the goal of providing more role models in the front of business classrooms, which remains our goal today,” The PhD Project wrote.

It is unclear exactly when Yale started its partnership with The PhD Project. According to an archived version of the School of Management’s website, the SOM expanded its partnership with the organization in fall 2020. Prior to the Department of Education’s announcement on Friday, The PhD Project offered a list of partner universities which included Yale, but the organization has since removed the list. 

A University spokesperson wrote to the News that Yale is “reviewing this matter.” 

The new announcement follows a string of investigations by the Education Department regarding compliance with the Civil Rights Act. On Feb. 6, the department initiated investigations on several universities’ alleged violations of Title IX due to transgender athlete participation. Last Monday, the Education Department started Title IV investigations into claims of antisemitism at 60 universities — including Yale — linked to last spring’s campus protests. 

The Office of Civil Rights was particularly affected by cuts to the Department of Education announced on Tuesday which approximately halved the department’s workforce. The office has regularly struggled to work through the backlog of cases resulting from last year’s campus protests. President Trump has previously called for the department’s “immediate” end.

The PhD Project was founded in 1994.

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