On Friday evening, California State University filed a joint stipulation and order preventing the federal government from revoking any federal funding from San José State and the statewide system following threats from the U.S. Department of Education.
SJSU released a statement the same evening about the joint stipulation, notifying its community that the federal government has agreed not to withhold funding.
“This safeguard ensures that no funding decisions take effect without judicial review,” the statement reads. “Importantly, this stipulation does not require the CSU or SJSU to change any current practices, make concessions, or withdraw the lawsuit. The CSU remains committed to vigorously defending its position and upholding its responsibilities under the law.”
A stipulation is a formal agreement between opposing parties in a lawsuit, according to a Cornell Law School webpage.
The stipulation follows after United States Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the Department of Education issued two letters threatening to revoke federal funding from SJSU if the university doesn’t comply with the Office for Civil Rights investigation’s findings and proposed resolution agreement.
“In the stipulation filed today, the federal government has agreed that it will not withhold any funding for any reason relating to the findings without first allowing the CSU to challenge that action in the court where the CSU sued before any withholding takes effect,” the CSU statement reads. “This is not an agreement by the CSU to alter any of its current practices or make any concessions to the federal government that SJSU violated the law. Nor is the CSU withdrawing its lawsuit.”
The Department of Education did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The CSU filed a lawsuit on March 6 against the Department of Education and McMahon after they announced in late January that SJSU had violated Title IX for allowing a transgender athlete to compete on the women’s volleyball team.
Michelle Smith-McDonald, SJSU senior director of strategic communications, said in an email sent to the Spartan Daily that the university will not have any further statement.
All documents related to the lawsuit, including the joint stipulation and order, are publicly available on the CSU’s Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights webpage.
EDITORS NOTE: This is a developing story and the Spartan Daily will provide more updates as information continues to be released.
