Do No Harm Files Complaint Against Two Oklahoma Schools for Discriminatory Nursing Scholarship Program

SALT LAKE CITY, UT; July X, 2026 – Today, Do No Harm filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (ED-OCR) alleging that Northeastern State University (NSU) and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race in a nursing scholarship program offered solely to American Indian students.

Both schools receive federal funding and are subject to federal civil rights laws. Do No Harm’s complaint alleges that the schools’ program — the Northeast Oklahoma Recruitment and Advancement of American Indians into Nursing (NEORAAIN) program — violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through the exclusion of all students who are not of American Indian descent. The program covers tuition, books, fees, and living expenses for recipients of the award in addition to providing mentorship and access to professional events.

“NSU and NEO are excluding qualified individuals from rich learning opportunities based solely on race, regardless of their academic ability, skills, experiences, and perspectives and even if they commit to serving in Indian health facilities,” said Dr. Kurt Miceli, Chief Medical Officer at Do No Harm. “Favoring one race over all others is not only unlawful and unjust but also discredits the value of hard work and meritocratic achievement that is critical to our healthcare-education system. Do No Harm urges both universities to reverse their discriminatory ways and recenter their nursing scholarship program around excellence and academic rigor.”

The NEORAAIN program advances discrimination by offering scholarship opportunities to some students rather than others on the basis of race. The program aims to:

• “Increase the number of Native American nurses.”
• “Support Native American students pursuing nursing degrees.”
• “Prepare [Native American students] to serve in Indian health facilities following graduation.”

Do No Harm’s complaint argues that the NEORAAIN program’s preferences have no legally justified basis and requests that the ED-OCR investigate NSU and NEO and find that their race discrimination violates Title VI.

Do No Harm, established in April 2022, has rapidly gained recognition and made significant strides in its mission to safeguard healthcare from ideological threats. It has over 50,000 members, including doctors, nurses, physicians, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and 26 countries.