CSU Campus Capitulates to Trump Administration after PhD Project Agreement

Cal Poly Pomona ended its relationship with a nonprofit called The Links, Inc., after facing pressure from the Trump Administration to end relationships with organizations that specifically support people of color.

First reported by The Washington Post, the CSU system said it would end Cal Poly Pomona’s relationship with the Links after determining that the group appears to restrict participation based on race. The Links, however, responded by saying its work with Cal Poly Pomona included mentorship sessions open to all students and that Links membership is also open to all people regardless of race. The Links website says its members are “committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.”

The Post reported that Cal Poly Pomona’s relationship with the Links started in 2017 and that the last event related to the partnership was held in January 2025.

According to the Post, the CSU was among a group of universities that signed pacts with the Trump administration to resolve the investigations with the PhD Project, a private, non-profit organization with the goal of diversifying business education and the corporate workforce.

In a press release dated February 20, the CSU said that in October 2025 it signed an agreement with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education concerning the PhD Project.  The agreement required all campuses to review all memberships or partnerships with external organizations to identify any memberships or partnerships with organizations that restrict participation based on race.

“Under both state and federal law, CSU is not permitted to engage in programs and activities that provide preference based on race,” the release said. “Instead, CSU’s activities and programs must be open to all.”

Faye Wachs, CFA Pomona Membership and Organizing Committee Chair and Cal Poly Pomona professor, said she is deeply disappointed the university is cutting ties with the Links because of fear of the Trump administration.

“University leadership once committed to a Black Thriving Initiative, claiming we will never reach inclusive excellence if we do not focus on addressing the specific concerns of our Black community,” Wachs said. “The Links was especially meaningful to Black students and offered mentorship to all students.”

Although the CSU administration claims it remains open to future collaboration with the Links and any organization that shares the CSU’s mission, its swiftness in giving in to Trump’s demands and ending ties with the nonprofit suggests otherwise.

As an anti-racism and social justice union, we are deeply concerned by the broad targeting of anything categorized as “racial and gender ideology,” especially when paired with cuts to programs based in equity. We will keep you informed on any further updates from the CSU’s agreement with the OCR regarding the PhD Project.

Pomona cutting its ties with The Links comes a few months after CSU management capitulated to the Trump Administration by handing over faculty and staff’s personal information to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). We settled the lawsuit in January, helping prevent workers from being caught off guard by management handing over personal information to federal agencies without the knowledge of the faculty impacted.

CFA seeks to expand on our settlement win with Senate Bill 1101 this legislative session. Authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, the bill would require the CSU and California Community Colleges, and request the University of California (UC) to notify faculty, staff, and students when their personal information is shared with the U.S. Department of Education’s OCR a part of an investigative, compliance, or enforcement action.

Our settlement only requires the CSU to provide notice to employees as soon as reasonably practicable before complying with any subpoena for employees’ personal information related to the EEOC’s investigation of alleged antisemitism on CSU campuses and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights investigation of the PhD Project. SB 1101 would significantly broaden the situations in which to give notice for personal information disclosures.

SB 1101 is our way of fighting back against the federal administration’s campaign to suppress academic freedom and equity efforts. CFA members won’t let CSU management repeatedly capitulate to the Trump Administration.