UofL foundation and Kentucky Attorney General dispute effort to strip DEI-linked criteria from scholarships

The University of Louisville and the Kentucky Attorney General are litigating over whether certain scholarship criteria that focus on women and Black students must be altered or removed under a state law banning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The dispute centers on scholarship terms administered through a UofL foundation, according to Louisville Public Media.

Louisville Public Media reported that more than a year after Kentucky lawmakers passed the ban, the UofL foundation has asked a court to change scholarships designed for specific groups. The request seeks adjustments to scholarship criteria that, in the foundation’s view, remain important to the programs’ purpose, while also addressing the state’s legal requirements.

Kentucky’s Attorney General is opposing that effort, Louisville Public Media said. The AG’s position reflects the state’s broader enforcement posture following the passage of the DEI ban, which targets initiatives that incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion standards in certain contexts.

The scholarships at issue are described as being designed for women and Black students. Those program designs are part of the reason the legal conflict has drawn attention, because scholarship eligibility criteria are often tied to the stated goals of donors and institutions, and courts may need to decide how those goals can coexist with state limits.

The case also highlights the practical timing of the dispute. Louisville Public Media said the fight comes more than a year after the Kentucky legislature enacted the ban, suggesting the litigation is moving from policy adoption to disputes over how the law applies to existing scholarship programs.