Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon has threatened a Justice Department investigation following reports of a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) outdoor camp promoted by professors at Central Washington University (CWU).

The warning came after a video, shared by the Libs of TikTok X account and since deleted from YouTube and other platforms, showed two CWU faculty members discussing an upcoming geology retreat that appears to be limited to a race-restricted minority group. CWU senior lecturer Nick Zentner said in the video, "So is this open to everybody? Not really," before the clip abruptly cut off. He added that the event targets a growing number of younger people from diverse backgrounds who typically do not attend such events for various reasons, describing it as a "BIPOC community event."

CWU assistant professor of geology Hannah Shamloo promoted the nonprofit organization hosting the event, the Bronze Chapter, praising its efforts "to increase the participation of BIPOC members in the outdoors." Shamloo stated, "Historically, members of BIPOC haven’t had the same opportunities for safe engagement with the outdoors, and so Nick and I are here to really extend a warm welcome and encouragement to members of BIPOC to come join us and engage with the geology that we love so much."

Central Washington University clarified that it is not affiliated with the Bronze Chapter and has no direct involvement, financial or otherwise, in the event scheduled for August 21. Although the Bronze Chapter's website does not explicitly restrict participation based on race, the event is described as a "POC-centering geology sleepover summer camp" and offers sponsorships for BIPOC and mixed-race individuals and families.

The Justice Department's potential investigation follows backlash over the race-restricted nature of the event.

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