Fordham discriminates against male students with ‘girls only’ business club: complaint

A civil rights discrimination complaint has been filed against Fordham University for creating a girls-only business club that excludes male students.

Fordham has “Girl Boss” groups for undergraduate and graduate female business students, but boys need not apply, said the bombshell complaint filed with the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights by the Equal Protection Project.

The girls-only programs at the New York City Jesuit school violate Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, EPP said in its complaint obtained by The Post.

“The programs, by design and promotion, are intended for women and signal that men are not welcome as full and equal participants,” said William Jacobson, a Cornell law professor and founder of the Equal Protection Project.

He said “affinity groups” cannot be used to advantage one sex over another when it comes to access to educational opportunities and career advancement.

When a university accepts federal funding, it is obligated to provide equal access to education, and affinity or professional-focused groups are not a way around that obligation, Jacobson said.

“Sex discrimination in education is wrong and unlawful no matter which sex benefits or is harmed. The law requires a culture of equality and equal access to educational opportunities,” he said.

The Girl Boss clubs are listed under Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business and have their own website.

The clubs provide “a space for women” enrolled in undergraduate business programs at the university to have “visions and inspiration” through weekly discussions, group speakers and opportunities for networking through socials or lectures, the group’s website says.

The group holds weekly discussions that focus on career development and advice on how to succeed as a woman in any field. Regular networking events and speakers provide opportunities to get advice from successful women in a variety of careers and potential one-on-one mentorship, the website says.

“We’re dedicated to providing a community where young women passionate about business can come together to empower each other by providing insight into professional opportunities and a support system. New York City can seem like a daunting place, but we aim to make it a welcoming and successful environment,” the group said.

Undergraduate Girl Boss also advertises exclusive partnerships with major companies that provide “valuable career opportunities,” including: The New York Times, Chanel, MTV, Condé Nast, L’Oréal, Marvel, Viacom and Sony, the group says.

All of the officers of “Girl Boss” are women.

“Fordham’s own nondiscrimination rules prohibit discrimination in educational access based on sex, so we are only asking Fordham to live up to its own set of rules and to honor the promise of nondiscrimination it made to the community,” EPP’s Jacobson said.

The conservative-leaning legal advocacy group filed a discrimination complaint against Fordham last year, claiming the school offers race- and ethnicity-based scholarships that favor black and Latino students over white and Asian students in violation of civil rights law.

EPP has filed cases against more than 120 institutions challenging over 550 discriminatory scholarships and programs — including at the State University of New York campuses, the New York State Education Department, and Rutgers University.

“Unfortunately there is a culture on many campuses that excuses some forms of discrimination, and that needs to stop,” Jacobson said.

The US Department of Education said Tuesday the agency “does not confirm complaints” when asked about the discrimination claim against Fordham.

Fordham had no immediate comment.