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25 Student Groups Back Harvard in Admissions Suit

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Twenty-five Harvard student and alumni groups argued in court documents Thursday that the University’s race-conscious admissions policies are vital to the school’s educational mission. 

“Given racial bias in standardized testing and endemic racial inequities in educational opportunities in primary and secondary school, Harvard must consider race if it is to assemble a diverse student body and achieve the educational benefits thereof,” lawyers representing the students wrote in the filing.

The students’ brief comes as part of an ongoing lawsuit that alleges Harvard discriminates against Asian-American applicants, a charge the University has repeatedly denied. Anti-affirmative action advocacy group Students for Fair Admissions brought the suit in 2014.

The student groups are partly being represented by lawyers from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Some of the groups seek to promote diversity or public service on Harvard’s campus, while others are affinity organizations. Ten of the groups are specifically targeted to Asian or Asian-American students.

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The students’ brief was one of several filed Thursday. Economists, social scientists, and academics — as well as prominent legal organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union — also entered amicus briefs in support of Harvard’s admissions practices.

At least one brief fell decidedly on the other side of the issue. The United States Department of Justice on Thursday morning filed a statement of interest asserting Harvard’s admissions process inflicts “unlawful racial discrimination” against Asian-American hopefuls.

In their brief, the students noted that SFFA’s goal is to eliminate the use of race in college admissions — something the group’s president Edward Blum previously admitted to The Crimson in an email. The students’ filing argues the loss of affirmative action would lead to discrimination against minority students including Asian Americans.

If universities could no longer consider race, the filing states, “applicants would no longer be able to present their authentic selves in their applications, deterring and disadvantaging applicants whose leadership and other experiences are inextricably intertwined with their racial and cultural heritage.”

Contrary to SFFA’s rhetoric, the student groups argue that race-conscious admissions actually benefits some Asian American applicants, especially those who are flagged as coming from “disadvantaged” backgrounds.

“Within the category of disadvantaged applicants, Asian Americans receive the largest preference in admissions,” the document reads. “Attention to the particular disadvantages faced by Asian Americans is important because this group has the highest intra-racial inequality.”

 The students’ filing is specifically arguing against SFFA’s motion to decide the case without a trial. Experts have said that is unlikely.

The suit is set to go to trial in a Boston courtroom on Oct. 15.

The groups that signed the brief include:

  • 21 Colorful Crimson 

    Harvard Black Alumni Society 

    Association of Black Harvard Women 

    Coalition for a Diverse Harvard

    First Generation Harvard Alumni 

    Fuerza Latina of Harvard

    Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance 

    Harvard Asian American Brotherhood

    Harvard Islamic Society 

    Harvard Japan Society 

    Harvard Korean Association

    Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance

    Harvard Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students

    Harvard Phillips Brooks House Association

    Harvard South Asian Association 

    Harvard University Muslim Alumni

    Harvard Vietnamese Association

    Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Association

    Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Women’s Association

    Harvard-Radcliffe Black Students Association

    Harvard-Radcliffe Chinese Students Association

    Kuumba Singers of Harvard College

    Native American Alumni of Harvard University

    Native Americans at Harvard College

    Task Force on Asian and Pacific American Studies at Harvard

Correction: Sept. 5, 2018

A previous version of this story indicated that the 25 student groups are partly being represented by lawyers from the NAACP. In fact, they are being represented by lawyers from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. 

—Staff writer Delano R. Franklin can be reached at delano.franklin@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @delanofranklin_


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