The University of California (UC) system is facing a federal lawsuit accusing it of racial discrimination in its admissions process. The lawsuit, filed on Monday by Students Against Racial Discrimination, claims that UC schools give illegal preference to Black and Hispanic applicants, disadvantaging White and Asian students in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws and the 14th Amendment. If successful, the lawsuit would prevent UC schools from considering or even asking about race during admissions.
A UC spokesperson denied the allegations, stating that the university has complied with California law since 1996, when a state referendum banned the consideration of race in admissions. “UC undergraduate admissions applications collect students’ race and ethnicity for statistical purposes only and they are not used for admission,” the spokesperson told The Times UK.
Jonathan Mitchell, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, vowed more legal action against universities that use race as a factor in admissions and hiring. “Universities continue to defy the law by using race and sex preferences in student admissions and faculty hiring. We will keep suing them until they adopt colorblind admissions and rid themselves of every last vestige of these odious and discriminatory practices,” Mitchell said.
The lawsuit argues that UC’s practices lead to less-qualified applicants being admitted over more qualified White and Asian candidates. It also claims that affirmative action harms Black and Hispanic students by placing them in academic environments where they struggle to keep up. Citing data from The Times UK, the complaint notes that after race-blind admissions were implemented in 1996, Black and Hispanic students at UC schools performed better academically, were more likely to persist in STEM fields, and had improved graduation rates.
Despite California’s ban on affirmative action, the lawsuit alleges that UC schools have continued to use indirect methods to favor underrepresented minorities. It points to a 2006 change in UCLA’s admissions policies as a deliberate attempt to reinstate racial preferences. Additionally, it claims that UC has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on outreach programs designed to boost Black and Hispanic enrollment, a strategy the plaintiffs argue is another way to circumvent race-neutral admissions policies.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of a broader national crackdown on affirmative action. Just days ago, Donald Trump issued executive orders dismantling federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and directing the Justice and Education Departments to enforce last year’s Supreme Court ruling that struck down race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. That decision has led to a wave of legal challenges against race-based diversity programs across universities and corporations.
Now, the legal battle has turned to the UC system, one of the largest and most prestigious public university networks in the United States. The plaintiffs are seeking a court order to ensure UC schools conduct admissions “in a color-blind and race-neutral manner,” a move that could set a major precedent for public universities nationwide.
