The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has lodged a serious accusation against Yale School of Medicine, asserting that the institution engaged in illegal discrimination based on race during its admissions process. The allegation posits that the school favored Black and Hispanic applicants, admitting them with lower academic qualifications compared to White and Asian counterparts. This accusation is grounded in claims that Yale’s practices contravene Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as interpreted in the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. According to Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, race-based admissions programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Dhillon’s analysis of admissions data before and after the pivotal Supreme Court ruling revealed negligible change, leading to the conclusion that Yale’s lack of adjustment in its admission outcomes demonstrates a deliberate disregard for the Court’s decision. Dhillon cited evidence that Yale employs a holistic admissions process that incorporates racial considerations, making it so that a Black applicant might have 29 times higher odds of securing an interview compared to an Asian applicant with similar academic credentials. Further insights on this are available in JURIST.
The DOJ’s actions against Yale are part of a broader scrutiny targeting several institutions. Just last week, an investigation was announced into the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Earlier this year, similar demands for admissions data were made to medical schools at Stanford, Ohio State, and the University of California, San Diego. The DOJ also took legal action against Harvard University, accusing it of withholding key admissions data needed for an investigation into potential discriminatory practices.
This wave of investigations and legal actions reflects the DOJ’s increased focus on ensuring compliance with the Supreme Court’s mandates on race in admissions. By scrutinizing these notable institutions, the DOJ aims to enforce equitable practices in educational opportunities across the country.