Local universities accused of surreptitiously continuing race-based admissions
Stanford University Campus. Image by HDZ
Stanford University, Cal, UCLA, and UC Irvine are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly considering race in their admissions processes, even though state and federal law now forbid it. Policy experts tell The College Fix that these schools are creating a “system of reverse discrimination.”
The 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard Supreme Court ruling prohibits the use of race-based affirmative action in admissions, and the department “is demanding compliance,” a recent DOJ news release announcing the investigations states.
Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle stated, “Every college and university should know that illegal discrimination in admissions will be investigated and eliminated.”
“Some universities appear to have found ways around the law. The DOJ’s investigations could finally bring accountability to what many families believe is an ongoing circumvention of the will of the people,” Greg Burt of the CA Family Council said.
Further, he criticized “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies for causing division. “Instead of fostering genuine equality, these policies tend to create a system of reverse discrimination, dividing students along racial lines and fostering resentment rather than unity,” he told The Fix.
Additionally, Burt said racial preferences “often result in unfair treatment, stereotyping, and a distortion of justice.”
A UC spokesperson told The Fix via email the school is in compliance with the law.
“Since Proposition 209 banned California’s public institutions from considering race in admissions, UC has implemented admissions practices to comply with it. At the same time, we remain committed to expanding access for all qualified students,” the spokesperson said.
“The UC undergraduate admissions application collects students’ race and ethnicity for statistical purposes only. This information is not shared with application reviewers and is not used for admissions,” the spokesperson said.
Inside Higher Ed also reported that last fall, Berkeley, UCLA, and Irvine saw increases in black and Hispanic student enrollment for the Class of 2028, with “underrepresented students of color” making up 45 percent of UC system enrollees. This is a 1.2 percent rise from 2023 and the highest ever recorded for the system.
In contrast, Stanford University showed a decline in minority student admissions, with a 50 percent decrease in black enrollment and a 14.4 percent decrease in Hispanic enrollment. White and Asian admissions increased by 14.5 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
Read the whole thing here.
Follow Opportunity Now on Twitter @svopportunity
We prize letters from our thoughtful readers. Typed on a Smith Corona. Written in longhand on fine stationery. Scribbled on a napkin. Hey, even composed on email. Feel free to send your comments to us at opportunitynowsv@gmail.com or (snail mail) 1590 Calaveras Ave., SJ, CA 95126. Remember to be thoughtful and polite. We will post letters on an irregular basis on the main Opp Now site.