The Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit Monday against the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) on behalf of Professor Stephen Kleinschmit, a former faculty member who claims he was terminated for criticizing the university’s racially discriminatory hiring practices. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that UIC violated the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause and engaged in illegal retaliation against Kleinschmit for speaking out against its policies.
Professor Kleinschmit, who holds a PhD in Public Administration, served as a clinical associate professor in UIC’s Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics (PPMA) until his contract was terminated in August 2023.
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During his tenure, Kleinschmit raised concerns about the university’s hiring programs, which he claims prioritized race as a primary or exclusive factor in faculty recruitment—a practice he argued was illegal under federal law.
According to the lawsuit, Kleinschmit voiced his objections to colleagues and university leadership, warning that the programs violated anti-discrimination laws. Despite his efforts to address the issue internally, UIC allegedly retaliated by terminating his contract on August 15, 2023. The lawsuit further claims that university administrators delayed notifying Kleinschmit of his contract nonrenewal until the academic hiring cycle was nearly over, leaving him unemployed for an entire year.
“The University of Illinois Chicago repeatedly engaged in blatant acts of racial discrimination, then added illegal retaliation to the mix to avoid accountability for its unlawful behavior,” said Reilly Stephens, Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center. “These actions are unacceptable violations of the right to equal protection under the law, and we urge the court to put a stop to it immediately.”
As a public university, UIC is considered a state actor and is therefore bound by the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, which prohibits discrimination based on race. The lawsuit alleges that UIC’s hiring practices and its decision to fire Kleinschmit for opposing those practices constitute violations of his constitutional rights.
The Liberty Justice Center is seeking a court order to halt UIC’s allegedly discriminatory hiring and retention practices. The lawsuit also requests financial compensation for Kleinschmit, including lost earnings and benefits resulting from his termination.
“I was fired for speaking out against illegal behavior by the university,” said Professor Kleinschmit. “I’m grateful to the Liberty Justice Center for taking a stand against institutional corruption and fighting for my constitutional and statutory rights.”
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The case, Kleinschmit v. University of Illinois Chicago, highlights the growing debate over race-based hiring practices in higher education and the legal boundaries of affirmative action policies. It also raises questions about academic freedom and the rights of faculty members to challenge institutional policies without fear of retaliation.
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