A civil rights organization is challenging the practice of legacy admissions at Harvard University, arguing that it discriminates against students of color by giving preferential treatment to the predominantly white children of alumni. Legacy admissions have come under scrutiny since the Supreme Court’s recent decision to end affirmative action in higher education. The NAACP has joined the effort, calling on colleges and universities to level the playing field in admissions by eliminating legacy admissions. The complaint, filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights on behalf of Black and Latino community groups in New England, alleges that Harvard’s admissions system violates the Civil Rights Act. The group argues that family name and financial status should not play a role in the college admissions process, which should be solely based on merit. Opponents of legacy admissions argue that the practice is no longer justifiable without affirmative action to balance it out. Though the court’s ruling requires colleges to ignore applicants’ race, critics point out that schools can still give preferences to legacy and donor-related applicants. The complaint cites Harvard data that shows 70% of legacy applicants are white, and being a legacy student increases an applicant’s chances of admission sixfold. The complaint also highlights other schools, such as Amherst College and Johns Hopkins University, that have abandoned legacy admissions due to concerns about fairness. The complaint alleges that Harvard’s legacy preference has nothing to do with merit and denies qualified students of color the opportunity to be admitted. It calls on the U.S. Education Department to declare the practice illegal and require Harvard to end it as long as the university receives federal funding. Harvard has declined to comment on the complaint, but has reaffirmed its commitment to diversity and inclusion. In addition to the complaint, the NAACP has launched a campaign to promote diversity on college campuses, calling on over 1,500 colleges and universities to end legacy preferences, eliminate racially biased entrance exams, recruit diverse faculty, and support low-income and first-generation students. The organization is urging colleges and universities to embrace diversity and ensure access and opportunities for every Black American. This campaign is in addition to another initiative led by Ed Mobilizer, which is urging alumni of 30 prestigious colleges to withhold donations until legacy admissions are abolished. President Joe Biden has also expressed his concerns about legacy admissions, suggesting that universities should reconsider the practice as it perpetuates privilege rather than creating opportunities. Democrats in Congress and some Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott, have called for an end to legacy admissions following the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action. Currently, it is unclear how many schools utilize legacy admissions and to what extent it affects admissions decisions. In California, where disclosure of legacy admissions is required by state law, the University of Southern California reported that 14% of admitted students had family ties to alumni or donors, while Stanford reported a similar rate. An Associated Press survey of selective colleges found that legacy students in the freshman class ranged from 4% to 23%, with some schools having more legacy students than Black students. Proponents of legacy admissions argue that it helps build a strong alumni community and encourages donations. However, a study conducted at an undisclosed college in the Northeast found that legacy students were more likely to donate, but at the expense of diversity, as the majority of legacy students were white. The complaint against Harvard and the NAACP’s campaign aim to address these concerns and ensure equal opportunities for all students. The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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