The prestigious Harvard University has a long and prestigious history, but there’s a dark side to this legacy. For years Harvard has been the center of lawsuits and litigation, creating a tumultuous legal history. Today, we take a deep dive into this Harvard legacy: a tale of lawsuits, litigation, and bitter disputes.
Harvard, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, has been the subject of a lawsuit involving its legacy admissions policy. In recent years, there has been debate over the fairness and legality of legacy admissions, in which students with relatives who attended a specific college or university receive preferential treatment in the admissions process.
In 2018, a group of students filed suit against Harvard, claiming that their race-based admissions policies had discriminated against Asian-American applicants. The plaintiffs argued that legacy admissions had an artificial effect on admission rates for Asian-Americans, effectively keeping them out of the university. In July 2020, after two years of litigation, the case was dismissed in federal court. The court stated that the plaintiffs had failed to prove that Harvard’s admissions policies violated anti-discrimination laws.
- The court held that Harvard’s admissions policies did not violate anti-discrimination laws.
- The plaintiffs argued that legacy admissions had an artificial effect on admission rates for Asian-Americans.
The history of Harvard Legacy shows the ever-evolving nature of educational institutions and the battles of power they must face. Harvard Legacy remains an inspiration to those who continue to strive for educational excellence and equity—even in the face of complicated and costly legal loopholes. Although the Law school is no longer operating, it has left a lasting legacy to its students, alumni, and the community overall— a legacy that will long be remembered.