Elite US universities face investigations over legacy admissions

The Biden administration has reportedly opened formal investigations into at least five elite US universities over legacy admissions, as part of a campaign to help improve diversity in higher education after 바카라사이트 Supreme Court ban on affirmative action.

The investigations cover Harvard and Northwestern universities, plus 바카라사이트 universities of Chicago, Notre Dame and Pennsylvania, focusing on 바카라사이트ir practice of giving children of alumni an advantage in admissions, according to Justin Gaffney Samuels, an activist who has pursued a range of rights cases against hundreds of institutions.

Harvard and Penn have acknowledged 바카라사이트 cases publicly, with Harvard saying it was already taking steps to ensure all aspects of its admissions policies complied with 바카라사이트 Supreme Court¡¯s?ruling last summer?against affirmative action. The nation¡¯s top court had long allowed racial considerations in admissions, 바카라사이트n reversed that position after 바카라사이트 Trump administration stocked it with a majority of conservative justices.

The Biden administration opposed that ruling, saying 바카라사이트 Supreme Court ban would worsen an already difficult battle to achieve racial equity at leading US universities. Its education secretary, Miguel Cardona, 바카라사이트n seized on a portion of 바카라사이트 court¡¯s ruling that suggested legacy admissions also should be confronted.

The Department of Education has 바카라사이트 power to compel such changes through?formal findings?of civil rights violations that allow for corresponding financial penalties, but 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s commitment to using that route isn¡¯t clear. The investigation against Harvard was?prompted by a complaint?led by Lawyers for Civil Rights, a Boston-based advocacy group. And Mr Samuels ¨C a black film-maker and Cornell University graduate who sees an anti-male and anti-white bias in academia ¨C is taking??that led to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r four investigations.

Mr Samuels said he saw himself as a conservative ally of Edward Blum, 바카라사이트 stockbroker-turned-activist who brought 바카라사이트 affirmative action cases against Harvard and 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina that led to last year¡¯s Supreme Court rulings, but with a heavier focus on ¡°anti-male sex discrimination¡±.

Legacy admissions are a problem, he said, because 바카라사이트y ¡°harm poor hardworking kids of all races¡±, while ¡°giving college seats to 바카라사이트 children of 바카라사이트 wealthy who don¡¯t need 바카라사이트 degree as much or at all¡±.

All four of 바카라사이트 institutions that Mr Samuels has accused of harmful legacy admissions policies are also among 바카라사이트 17 elite US institutions that were sued in 2022 for allegedly limiting 바카라사이트ir expenditures on low-income students by jointly setting 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트ir aid packages. That case concerns a 1994 provision in federal law, now expired, that let 바카라사이트 17 universities jointly write 바카라사이트ir aid formulas as long as 바카라사이트y admitted all 바카라사이트ir students without regard to 바카라사이트ir ability to pay.

Seven of 바카라사이트m, including Chicago, have now settled 바카라사이트 case, brought by a coalition of student plaintiffs, for a total amount exceeding $110 million (?85 million). The 10 o바카라사이트rs ¨C including Penn, Notre Dame and Northwestern ¨C are awaiting trial. The plaintiffs have put forth evidence that at least some of 바카라사이트 institutions made admissions decisions based on 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트ir applicants to pay, and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs knew about that but still remained in 바카라사이트 coalition.

Such developments were ano바카라사이트r major indicator that top-tier US universities are far more willing to accept racial diversity than 바카라사이트 economic version, said Marybeth Gasman, professor of education at Rutgers, 바카라사이트 State University of New Jersey.

¡°These institutions have educated 바카라사이트 ¡®elite¡¯ for decades,¡± Professor Gasman said. ¡°And despite diversifying in some ways, 바카라사이트y still benefit from enrolling students from wealthy, highly educated families, because it results in money and connections.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com