WASHINGTON (WOKI) – Lincoln Memorial University has agreed to a voluntary settlement with federal civil rights authorities following an investigation that found Jewish students at the university’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine were denied accommodations for religious observances while similar requests from non-Jewish students were approved.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the agreement Tuesday, concluding a joint investigation conducted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.
Federal officials said the investigation centered on complaints from the 2025-26 academic year involving requests by Jewish students to reschedule classes, examinations and clinical assignments to observe religious holidays.
According to investigators, those requests were denied by medical school administrators while comparable accommodation requests submitted by non-Jewish students were routinely approved.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said all students should receive equal treatment regardless of their religious background.
“Students of all ethnic and religious backgrounds, including Jewish students, should receive the same treatment at our nation’s universities,” Dhillon said in a statement. “We commend Lincoln Memorial University for its swift action addressing the Department’s concerns regarding discrimination and unequal treatment.”
Federal investigators said tensions escalated in January 2026 when Jewish students challenged what they viewed as unequal treatment. According to the DOJ, the medical school responded by implementing a blanket policy prohibiting absences for religious observances.
Investigators found that despite the new restriction, the school continued granting excused absences for certain secular activities, including professional student leadership obligations.
The Justice Department and Health and Human Services subsequently opened a formal investigation in February 2026.
Settlement Requirements
Under the terms of the agreement, LMU’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine must implement several corrective actions.
The university has agreed to revise its attendance and absence policies to ensure requests for religious observances are treated equally with non-religious requests. Students receiving approved accommodations will not face academic penalties because of their religious observance.
The settlement also requires the university to reverse disciplinary or academic penalties imposed on Jewish students whose accommodation requests were improperly denied during the 2025-26 school year.
In addition, LMU must provide training to students, faculty, staff and administrators regarding the updated policies and federal nondiscrimination requirements.
Federal Funding Preserved
Federal officials said the university cooperated throughout the investigation and agreed to the required corrective measures.
Because of that cooperation, LMU will remain eligible for federal funding while implementing the terms of the settlement. The Department of Justice said the investigation will be formally closed once the university fulfills all obligations outlined in the agreement.
The case highlights ongoing federal scrutiny of religious discrimination complaints on college campuses and reinforces requirements that institutions receiving federal funds provide equal treatment for students of all faiths.
