The University of Maine will undergo a "compliance review" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture focused on whether the university is complying with a recent executive order, NEWS CENTER Maine reports.
In a letter addressed to Gov. Janet Mills, UMaine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy, and the Maine Office of the Attorney General, USDA said it would conduct the review based on what the letter described as the state's "blatant disregard" of a recent executive order by President Donald Trump targeting transgender athletes. The review will focus on whether the university is in violation of Title IX, which protects people from gender-based discrimination.
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"OASCR will consider reviewing compliance of other educational institutions in the state of Maine that receive funding from USDA. Should the University of Maine or other entities receiving funds from USDA be found to be out of compliance, additional funding may be in jeopardy," the letter, sent Saturday, stated.
Title IX states, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." The UMaine system addresses the law and its policies in its policy manual.
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"UMS, inclusive of all its campuses and faculties, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other category protected by applicable law, in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment, or other school-administered programs. For this reason, the University will not tolerate sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, or retaliation in any form. All conduct of this nature is considered a violation of this policy."
The Trump administration said it is looking at the state's "interpretation of Title IX laws, meaning whether the state's interpretation matches the federal expectations.
This comes days after a confrontation between Mills and Trump during a governors' meeting at the White House. The president pressed Maine's governor to comply with the executive order, which bars transgender athletes from competing on teams on the basis of their gender identity. Mills told Trump "I'll see you in court," as he stood at the podium.
UMaine receives millions in funding from the USDA toward research. The institution is the state's designated land grant, sea grant and space grant university.
This is the second federal review of a Maine institution announced since the exchange between Mills and Trump. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education told Maine’s Department of Education that it had been instructed to begin an investigation into the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete.
A spokesperson for UMS shared a statement with NEWS CENTER Maine regarding the review:
"The University of Maine System appreciates the media making us aware of the USDA’s letter, which recognizes our flagship’s record of success in securing funding from that agency but notably makes no allegations of any wrongdoing," the spokesperson said. "Maine’s public universities will continue to comply with all relevant State and Federal laws and cooperate with any compliance reviews to ensure postsecondary educational opportunities and high-impact research continue to benefit our students, the state and this nation."
The governer's office issued a statement concerning the state's overall compliance with the executive order.
“I have spent my career – as a District Attorney, as Attorney General, and now as Governor – standing up for the rule of law in Maine and America. To me, that is fundamentally what is at stake here: the rule of law in our country.
“No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold Federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.
“Maine may be one of the first states to undergo an investigation by his Administration, but we won’t be the last. Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it – and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so.
“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined. My Administration will begin work with the Attorney General to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”
