Harvard – should race count in university admissions?
‘Racial balancing’
the legal challenge against Harvard shows how this argument can become more complex.
The accusation is that Harvard is limiting places for Asian-Americans to allow entry for other minorities
This year, about 52% of Harvard’s new undergraduate students are from ethnic minorities:
15% black
12% Hispanic
2% Native American or Native Hawaiian
23% Asian American
‘Race neutral’
But the complainants say if entry was decided on grades alone, the proportion of Asian-American students would be higher – and the admissions system makes it easier for black, Hispanic and white students to get a place.
The court case has been seen as reflecting a wider push-back against “affirmative action”
Asian-Americans are about 6% of the US population, so they are the most over-represented ethnic group in Harvard. But the complainants say there is an informal system of “racial balancing” to cap any further increase in their numbers.
They claim that more subjective parts of the entry process, such as assessing an applicant’s personality, are used to mark down Asian-Americans.
Under the banner of Students for Fair Admissions, they are calling for race to be removed as a factor in admissions, saying that the ethnicity of applicants should not “either help or harm” chances of entry.
BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45867300
Harvard Admissions Chief Defends Policies in First Day of Trial WSJ
https://jp.wsj.com/articles/SB10750612626653313748604584526803304356552