Following a complaint from advocacy organizations asserting that the practice violates federal civil rights legislation, the Education Department is looking into Harvard University’s use of legacy admissions.
The government informed a lawyer for Lawyers for Civil Rights, which filed the complaint against Harvard last month, in a letter that it had launched an investigation into the university’s admissions procedure.
A spokesman for the Education Department confirmed on Tuesday that Harvard is being looked into by its Office for Civil Rights for potential violations of Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act, but she declined to make any more comments.
The representative stated, “We do not comment on open investigations.
The Greater Boston Latino Network and other advocacy groups claimed in a 31-page complaint that Harvard’s legacy admissions process routinely disadvantages candidates of color and runs counter to the school’s public commitment to campus diversity.
The complaint makes the case that the need to stop so-called legacy admissions, which refers to the practice of giving alumni’s children or other relatives preferential treatment when applying to colleges or universities, is especially pressing now that the Supreme Court has invalidated affirmative action policies at two universities, effectively ending the systematic consideration of race in the admissions process.
In their court brief, the advocacy groups demanded that the Education Department rule that Harvard must stop the practice in order to continue receiving federal funds, claiming that legacy admissions “are not justified by any educational necessity.”
According to the complaint, “Harvard cannot demonstrate that the use of these preferences is required to achieve any significant educational goal.” Instead, the benefit is gained only from being born into a specific family and is given without consideration of the applicant’s qualifications or merits.
Nicole Rua, a university spokesperson, responded to questions on the legal groups’ accusations and the government inquiry by stating that Harvard is reviewing a wide range of “aspects of our admissions policies” in light of the Supreme Court’s decision.
Harvard is still committed to providing opportunities for students from all backgrounds, and Rua said in a statement that the university was stepping up its efforts to do so.
Since the court’s decision, legacy admissions at Harvard and other universities have drawn more attention. President Joe Biden stated last month that legacy admissions “expand privilege instead of opportunity.” This month, the NAACP urged universities to stop using it because it unjustly favors white candidates.
The July 3 complaint cites Harvard statistics that showed that 70% of the university’s donor-related and legacy candidates are white and that they are six times more likely to be admitted. This information was made public after the Supreme Court threw down affirmative action.
The complaint stated that a slot that is provided to a legacy or donor-related candidate “becomes unavailable to an applicant who meets the admissions criteria based solely on his or her own merit.” According to the statement, “more students of color would be admitted to Harvard” if legacy and donor preferences were eliminated.
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