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In an ironic twist of fate, a 1954 Supreme Court decision intended to democratize higher education is now being used to rarefy it.

Last Saturday, the Department of Education finally elaborated on a previously vague letter that prohibited nearly all race-conscious University activities. This time, the harm is far more real and sinister than the letter’s empty, reactionary rhetoric.

The original letter instructed universities to stop using race as a factor in all areas of campus life. The letter’s unclear language has been supplemented with an FAQ page surgically impugning certain practices, including affinity graduation ceremonies and race-based scholarships.

The updated guidance clarified the legal basis for the Dear Colleague letter as being in the spirit of Brown v. Board 1954, a landmark Supreme Court case that desegregated schools.

The cruel irony of using language that was meant to promote inclusion to make higher education more exclusive and hostile to minority students shouldn’t be lost on anyone — and the effects will be more than rhetorical.

Restricting the advertisement and administration of scholarships and programs that focus on bringing opportunities to minority students will undoubtedly hurt representation in higher education. Two years ago, the Supreme Court stopped Harvard from using race as a factor in admissions, and now the Trump administration is making it even harder for those minority students who are admitted to afford an education.

Minority students — and especially low-income minority students — already face barriers to higher education. Explicitly enforcing those barriers to equal opportunity is an unforgivable step backwards.

This was never about combatting discrimination. The administration is intentionally removing pathways for marginalized students to attend school and do research — preying on minority students and targeting the programs that make our most vulnerable classmates feel at home at Harvard.

In the uncertainty following the initial Dear Colleague letter, students and clubs faced murky waters seemingly governed by vague, fickle orders from the White House. Such confusion does indisputable harm to education and student life — in a forest of threats and ultimatums, progressives tread carefully, which is exactly what our aggressors want.

The issue has now changed to a legal scramble caused by the new policies. With the future of countless programs in question, schools may be compelled to abandon programs altogether rather than litigate — exactly what the administration wants.

Will affinity graduations — scheduled for this May — move forward? What will happen to the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural & Race Relations or the much-lauded Du Bois Scholars Program, an opportunity for HBCU students to complete summer research under Harvard faculty?

If the goal is to make higher education more merit-based, the guidance falls short. Instead of contending with legacy admissions or Harvard’s lack of socioeconomic diversity, the Ed Department’s letter takes aim at… affinity graduations?

The admissions portion of the document adds little of substance to the Students for Fair Admissions Supreme Court case, which Harvard has already complied with.

Whether or not Harvard has affinity graduations doesn’t change who gets admitted, and it does nothing to improve access to higher education — or affect most of the country at all.

The Trump administration’s threats are misguided, malicious, or both. Now, they are no longer hollow. The threat to inclusivity is more real than ever — and DEI is far from the only thing in danger.

This staff editorial solely represents the majority view of The Crimson Editorial Board. It is the product of discussions at regular Editorial Board meetings. In order to ensure the impartiality of our journalism, Crimson editors who choose to opine and vote at these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on similar topics.

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