Hundreds of experts, scholars back Harvard in admissions suit
More than 500 social scientists, 16 statisticians and economists, numerous Asian American organizations, Harvard student and alumni groups and coalitions, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund filed briefs on Thursday in support of Harvard University’s admissions policies. The individuals and organizations join a growing list of those who consider the admissions lawsuit an attack on inclusion and diversity in higher education and a rejection of existing Supreme Court law. The suit, which was brought by Edward Blum and his group Students for Fair Admissions Inc. (SFFA) and which drew Justice Department support Thursday, alleges that Harvard discriminates against Asian Americans in its admissions process. “We have always said that we believe in the consideration of race in admissions as a means of supporting diversity and creating equal opportunity,” said Jeannie Park ’83, president of the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), whose roughly 6,000...