DOJ accuses Yale of illegally discriminating against white, Asian American applicants News
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DOJ accuses Yale of illegally discriminating against white, Asian American applicants

In a notice letter, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Yale University on Thursday of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against white and Asian American applicants.

Because Yale receives substantial taxpayer funding, the university has to agree to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance.

In 2018 the DOJ informed Yale that it was opening an investigation into alleged discrimination in undergraduate admissions. Following a two-year investigation, the DOJ sent a notice letter on Monday, stating that the DOJ found that Yale had violated and was continuing to violate Title VI.

According to the DOJ, Yale grants “substantial” preferences to certain “racially-favored applicants” and discriminates largely against Asian American and white applicants. The letter stated that Asian American and white applicants had one-tenth to one-fourth of the likelihood of admission as African American applicants with comparable academic credentials.

The DOJ found that Yale’s admission standards were “vague, elusory, and amorphous,” which meant that the diversity goals were not sufficiently measurable. Because the discrimination allegedly affects hundreds of applications each year, it was also not narrowly tailored. Yale allegedly uses race at multiple times throughout the admissions process, making it more of a predominant criterion rather than just a plus factor. Yale also allegedly racially balances its admitted class. According to the DOJ, Yale has engaged in discrimination since the 1970s.

Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division said:

There is no such thing as a nice form of race discrimination. Unlawfully dividing Americans into racial and ethnic blocs fosters stereotypes, bitterness, and division. It is past time for American institutions to recognize that all people should be treated with decency and respect and without unlawful regard to the color of their skin.

The DOJ stated that Yale must agree not to continue to use race or national origin in its upcoming undergraduate admissions cycle. If Yale proposes to consider race or national origin in future admissions cycles, the DOJ said that it must first submit a plan to the DOJ demonstrating that the proposal is narrowly tailored. If Yale does not agree to comply, the DOJ is prepared to file a lawsuit to enforce Title VI obligations.

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