Source: Fortune.com
Summary
The US Justice Department has accused Yale University of illegally considering race in admissions to its medical school, citing differences in grade-point averages and standardized test scores. The DOJ claims that Black and Hispanic students have a higher chance of admission despite lower academic credentials. Yale University has stated that it is confident in its admissions process and will review the Justice Department’s letter. This is the second institution to face discrimination allegations by the federal agency this month, following a similar accusation against the University of California, Los Angeles.
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The Justice Department’s investigation found that Yale’s medical school admissions process favors Black and Hispanic students over white and Asian students, despite lower academic credentials. The DOJ claims that this is a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Yale University maintains that its admissions process is rigorous and fair. The DOJ has the authority to take the school to court to enforce compliance. A similar accusation was made against UCLA last week.
Yale’s use of a holistic admissions process is seen as a means to consider race, which the DOJ claims is discriminatory. The school’s amicus brief in a previous lawsuit stated that it would not be able to maintain diverse classes without explicit consideration of race. The DOJ sees this as evidence of willful non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling on affirmative action.
The situation is a familiar one, with the Trump administration putting pressure on universities to stop using race as a basis for admission. A coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general has filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s policy.
The announcement sounds familiar because it’s the latest in a series of accusations against universities for allegedly discriminatory admissions practices.
Author: Evan Null
