A lawsuit against Yale University regarding its affirmative action policies has been withdrawn following an agreement where the university will make significant changes to its admissions policies.
The lawsuit was initiated in 2021 by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), the same group that had previously brought affirmative action cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina.
These cases led to the Supreme Court’s decision in June, which struck down race-conscious admissions. Although the Yale case had been stayed pending the outcomes of the Harvard and UNC cases, it was reopened in July.
Yale to make extensive admissions policy changes
The agreement mandates that Yale must implement substantial changes in its admissions policies, which are among the most comprehensive responses to the Supreme Court’s ruling thus far.
These changes not only impact race-conscious admissions but also extend to financial aid and data transparency. Some of the key modifications include:
- Explicitly stating the ban on considering race in university training materials for application readers and admissions counselors.
- Implementing technological measures to prevent admissions decision-makers from accessing data on the racial identity of individual applicants during the review process.
- Prohibiting the production of reports on the aggregate racial or ethnic makeup of applicants or admitted students during the review process.
- Ensuring that race is not a factor in any financial aid calculations or awards.
Yale clarified that these changes are meant to align with the Supreme Court’s ruling and are not part of a settlement.
The university also affirmed that it has never factored race into financial aid calculations. SFFA’s president expressed satisfaction with Yale’s policies’ alignment with the Supreme Court ruling.
In addition to these admissions changes, Yale has introduced several initiatives to enhance outreach, inclusion, and recruitment efforts.
These measures include hiring additional admissions officers, using race-neutral geographic data in applicant analysis, providing support for prospective applicants interested in diversity-related events, launching a college prep summer program, and strengthening pipeline programs for local high school students.
Yale has also introduced three new essay prompts for applicants to choose from, allowing them to discuss their connections to communities, personal experiences, or interactions with individuals holding different viewpoints.
