Judge rules that Harvard does not discriminate against Asian American applicants

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs said in a ruling Tuesday that there "is no evidence of any racial animus whatsoever" when it comes to Harvard University's admission process.

The group that sued Harvard, Students for Fair Admission, argued that the Ivy League school held Asian American applicants to higher admissions standards while giving preference to black and Hispanic applicants, regardless of academic performance. They point to the fact that Asian American applicants consistently receive lower "personal ratings" from the university during the admissions process as the prime example of the school's alleged racial bias.

Burroughs did not see it that way, however. And while she admitted Harvard's application process is far from perfect, she also ruled that there is no proof any admissions decision was "negatively affected by Asian American identity."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Edward Blum, the president of Students for Fair Admission, said in a statement that the group is "disappointed that the court has upheld Harvard's discriminatory admissions policies." They will reportedly appeal the decision, and the case is expected to eventually make it's way up to the Supreme Court, The Guardian reports, as it continues to drive debate around the country about affirmative action. Read more at The Associated Press.