Education Department Opens Investigation Into Smith College Admissions

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights notified Smith College on Monday that it has opened an investigation into the college’s admissions policy for transgender women. According to the department, the probe examines whether the policy of admitting individuals who were born male but identify as women violates Title IX’s prohibition on sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

The department stated that the statutory exemption allowing single-sex institutions applies on the basis of biological sex, not gender identity. The investigation will review access to residence halls, bathrooms, locker rooms and athletic teams. Smith College, founded in 1876 in Northampton, Massachusetts, enrolls approximately 2,500 students.

Since a 2015 policy revision following campus activism and an internal review, the college has accepted applications from any student who self-identifies as a woman, including those who are transgender or nonbinary.

The investigation stems from a complaint filed in June 2025 by the group Defending Education. The complaint asserted that Smith’s practice of admitting transgender women while not admitting transgender men constitutes sex discrimination under Title IX.

In its notification letter, the department quoted Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey: “An all-women’s college loses all meaning if it is admitting biological males.

Smith College said in a statement that it remains committed to its institutional values and to compliance with all civil-rights laws, but declined to comment on the specifics of the pending investigation.

The department’s action follows regulatory changes after a federal judge struck down prior Title IX regulations issued during the Biden administration that had interpreted sex discrimination to include gender identity; that ruling occurred in January 2025.