Affirmative Action, Quotas and Harvard: The Asian-American Complaint

Affirmative Action, Quotas and Harvard: The Asian-American Complaint May 22, 2015

Yamiche Alcindor:

The issue I suspect here is that, as was pointed out long ago, racial quotas suppress successful applicants among Asians. On the basis of merit alone, more than the “quota” would be admitted. Right?

A coalition of Asian American groups filed a federal complaint against Harvard University Friday alleging the school engaged in “systemic and continuous discrimination” against Asian Americans during its admissions process.

More than 60 Chinese, Indian, Korean and Pakistani groups came together for the complaint, which was filed with the civil rights offices at the justice and education departments. They are calling for an investigation into Harvard and other Ivy League institutions that they say should stop using racial quotas or racial balancing in admission.

“We want to eliminate discrimination of Asian Americans, and we want procedural justice for all racial groups,” Yukong Zhao, one of the chief organizers and a guest columnist with the Orlando Sentinel, told NBC News. “All racial groups should be treated equal.”


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