Class-action lawsuit filed against UCLA medical school for reportedly continuing to use race-based …

the lawsuit alleges from Do No Harm and Students for Fair Admissions.
During this time frame, UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine witnessed a significant drop in white and Asian admissions, despite these groups consistently making up around 73% of the applicant pool. This sharp decline in matriculants from these racial backgrounds was a cause for concern that prompted the lawsuit against the school.
UCLA’s medical school, known for its highly competitive nature with an acceptance rate as low as 3.3%, has come under fire for allegedly engaging in racial balancing practices. The suit names various defendants, including the medical school itself, the University of California’s governing board, and the associate dean of admissions at the medical school.
The lawsuit argues that UCLA’s admissions process directly violates the Supreme Court’s ruling in the 2023 case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. This decision by the highest court declared race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions unconstitutional, citing the violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
Following these legal developments, President Donald Trump issued an executive order focusing on promoting merit-based opportunities and discouraging discrimination in admissions processes. The lawsuit alleges that UCLA’s medical school went against these directives by implementing an admissions process that considers and discusses applicants’ race, thus using it as a significant factor in admission decisions.
Consequently, the medical school now faces an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights over allegations of racial discrimination. Whistleblowers within the admissions office have come forward, claiming that the institution imposed lower standards for Black and Latino applicants compared to their White and Asian counterparts. This investigation is in line with the administration’s commitment to fairness and individual achievement for all prospective medical students, regardless of their racial backgrounds.
The move to file a class-action lawsuit against UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine reflects greater concerns about equity and fairness in admissions processes within educational institutions. By challenging race-based admissions practices and highlighting the importance of merit-based assessments, advocacy groups like Do No Harm and Students for Fair Admissions are pushing for systemic change in how universities approach student admissions. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the future of college admissions nationwide.