Harvard faces discrimination probe while accepting mostly nonwhite class
Harvard
College's admitted freshmen last year became the first class in the
school's multi-century history comprised of mostly nonwhite students.
And
again, for the second year in a row, the majority of students invited
to attend the prestigious college this year identify as ethnic
minorities.
Of
the 2,056 students accepted for the class of 2021, 50.8% do not
identify as white. Of the admitted students, 22.2% are Asian-American,
14.6% are African-American, 11.6 are Latino, 1.9% are Native Americans,
and Native Hawaiians are 0.5%. First-generation students make up 15.1%
of the admitted class.
Neither this
year's class nor last year's made many headlines when the college
initially released the data. But with the Department of Justice now
investigating a discrimination complaint against the school, Harvard and
its diverse array of students have been thrust into the national
spotlight.
The complaint in question was filed by a coalition of 64 Asian-American associations in May 2015, DOJ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said in a statement. The case rolled over from President Barack Obama's administration.
"The
complaint alleges racial discrimination against Asian-Americans in a
university's admissions policy and practices," Flores said in the
statement Wednesday. "This Department of Justice has not received or
issued any directive, memorandum, initiative or policy related to
university admissions in general."
Harvard vehemently denied the allegations brought against the school by the coalition, Students for Fair Admissions.
"As
the 2015-16 academic year begins, Harvard confronts a lawsuit that
touches on its most fundamental values, a suit that challenges our
admissions processes and our commitment to a widely diverse student
body," Harvard President Drew Faust said in a speech at the start of
school two years ago.
"Our
vigorous defense of our procedures and of the kind of educational
experience they are intended to create will cause us to speak frequently
and forcefully about the importance of diversity in the months to
come."
Harvard spokeswoman Melodie
Jackson said in a statement that the college's admissions process
"considers each applicant as a whole person" and is "consistent with the
legal standards established by the US Supreme Court."
The DOJ issued its statement in response to a story by The New York Times on
a document within the department's civil rights division on
"investigations and possible litigation related to intentional
race-based discrimination in college and university admissions." CNN has
not independently obtained the document.
While
the Times reported the document referred to "affirmative action
admissions policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants,"
Flores said the characterization was "inaccurate." A New York Times
spokesperson said in a statement to CNN that they stand by their reporting.
"To
become leaders in our diverse society, students must have the ability
to work with people from different backgrounds, life experiences and
perspectives," Harvard spokeswoman Jackson said in the statement.
"Harvard remains committed to enrolling diverse classes of students."
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