Students Group Challenges UC Admissions Practices
A lawsuit filed this week accuses the University of California (UC) of racial discrimination in undergraduate admissions, alleging that the university system favors Black and Latino students over Asian American and white applicants.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in federal court by Students Against Racial Discrimination, a group that argues UC admits students with lower academic credentials at the expense of better-qualified candidates.
Allegations of Violating State and Federal Laws
The complaint claims that UC’s admissions practices violate a 1996 California state law that prohibits the consideration of race in public education, employment, and contracting. It also alleges violations of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race-based discrimination by institutions receiving federal funding.
UC Responds to Lawsuit
In a statement Tuesday, UC said it had not yet been served with the lawsuit but would defend its admissions policies if necessary.
“Since the consideration of race in admissions was banned in California in 1996, the University of California has adjusted its admissions practices to comply with the law,” the university said. “The UC undergraduate admissions application collects students’ race and ethnicity for statistical purposes only. This information is not shared with application reviewers and is not used for admission.”
Lawsuit Seeks Court Oversight of UC Admissions
The lawsuit demands that UC be prohibited from requesting racial information on student applications and asks for a court-appointed monitor to oversee the admissions process.
It claims that Asian American and white applicants face racial discrimination, while Black and Latino students are admitted with lower qualifications, putting them at an academic disadvantage.
“Students of all races are harmed by the University of California’s discriminatory behavior,” the lawsuit states.
The complaint also alleges that UC officials have directed campuses to use a “holistic” admissions review process, shifting away from objective academic metrics toward more subjective assessments.
Citing Admissions Trends as Evidence
As part of its argument, the lawsuit highlights UC Berkeley’s admissions data. In 2010, Berkeley admitted 13% of Black, in-state students, compared to an overall admission rate of 21%. By 2023, Black student admissions had dropped to 10%, while the overall rate was 12%.
The case follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that struck down affirmative action in college admissions, prohibiting the use of race as a factor and prompting universities to seek alternative strategies for maintaining student diversity.
