Liberty University Submits Names of Students and Faculty in Federal Probe of Anti-Muslim Activity

Lynchburg, VA — Liberty University has confirmed that it has provided the names of certain students, faculty, and staff to the U.S. Department of Education as part of a federal investigation into alleged incidents of anti-Muslim discrimination and harassment on campus.

The disclosure came after a formal request from the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which launched a probe earlier this summer into multiple colleges and universities nationwide following a rise in complaints related to religious discrimination, particularly involving Muslim students.

In a statement issued Monday, Liberty University said it is “cooperating fully with federal authorities” and reiterated its commitment to “providing a campus environment free from discrimination and harassment for individuals of all faith backgrounds.”

The university did not specify how many individuals were named or the nature of the incidents under review but stated that it submitted records related to “a limited number of internal complaints and security reports” flagged by federal investigators.

The probe, according to a Department of Education spokesperson, is being conducted under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin—including shared ancestry and religion when applicable.

Liberty University, a private Christian institution, is one of several universities being reviewed under this initiative. The Department emphasized that the investigation does not imply wrongdoing but is part of a broader fact-finding process.

Reaction among the Liberty community has been varied. Some faculty expressed concern about the implications of the investigation, while others welcomed the inquiry as an opportunity to address long-standing tensions.

“It’s important that the university confronts these issues transparently and fairly,” said Dr. Kareem Nasir, an adjunct professor of sociology. “Religious discrimination—whether overt or subtle—has no place on a campus that claims to value Christian ethics and academic integrity.”

Several Muslim students, speaking anonymously due to privacy concerns, said they had experienced instances of bias ranging from insensitive comments in classrooms to exclusion from campus events. However, they also noted that they were encouraged by the investigation.

“I hope this sends a message that our presence and experiences matter,” one student said.

University officials stated that the individuals whose names were submitted were identified through internal reporting mechanisms and that the process followed existing protocols for federal inquiries. The university declined to say whether any disciplinary actions had been taken or are planned.

The Department of Education has not provided a timeline for concluding the investigation. Depending on the findings, the university could be required to make policy changes or, in cases of noncompliance, face penalties including the potential loss of federal funding.