Justice Department threatens investigation into university professors’ BIPOC-only geology camp
The US Justice Department's Assistant Attorney General, Harmeet Dhillon, has threatened to investigate a geology camp for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) after two Central Washington University academics promoted it in a video that circulated online. The footage, shared by the Libs of TikTok account, showed lecturer Nick Zentner and assistant professor Hannah Shamloo describing the "Rock and Role" retreat as a community event aimed at broadening outdoor access for BIPOC participants, prompting accusations that the camp was restricted by race and sparking online backlash before the clip was removed from other platforms.
The university, Central Washington University, distanced itself from the event, stating it has no financial or organisational ties to the Bronze Chapter, the nonprofit group running the retreat, though it voiced support for the two staff members involved. The camp, scheduled for 21–23 August, is billed by its organisers as a "POC-centering geology sleepover summer camp" and offers a sponsorship scheme for BIPOC and mixed-race families of up to ten people; its website does not explicitly state a racial restriction. The Justice Department has previously targeted similar race-focused initiatives, including a reparations scheme in Illinois and a "Black Male Initiative" at a New York university.
- DOJ threatens probe into university-linked BIPOC geology retreat
- Central Washington University denies formal affiliation with event
- Part of wider Trump administration crackdown on race-based programmes
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Geology is the study of the Earth, including the rocks and landscapes people encounter outdoors. Some outdoor education groups organise activities for communities they say have had fewer opportunities to take part; BIPOC is a term for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour.
Central Washington University is a public university in Washington state, and the two academics named in the story work there. The retreat is run by the Bronze Chapter, a separate non-profit group; the university says it has no financial or organisational link to it.
The dispute concerns whether a camp intended to centre BIPOC participants excludes others because of race, and how race-focused programmes fit with US law. The Justice Department is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal laws, while the university and camp organisers have separate roles in the matter.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The programme addresses documented barriers facing BIPOC individuals in geology and outdoor education, where representation remains severely limited. Creating dedicated spaces allows participants to learn without the psychological burden of tokenism or discrimination whilst building community in fields historically unwelcoming to them. The sponsorship model and nonprofit status suggest flexibility rather than absolute exclusion, and investigating such efforts risks discouraging institutions from addressing genuine systemic gaps in access and opportunity.
The case against
Civil rights law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, regardless of intent or the disparities being addressed. If the programme restricts participation by race, it violates established principles of equal protection that apply equally to all individuals. Well-intentioned race-conscious programmes set a troubling precedent where individuals are excluded from present opportunities solely on account of their race, conflicting with the fundamental legal principle that law must treat all citizens equally regardless of background.