Reports published on Wednesday revealed that the Department of Justice is investigating Yale University for anti-Asian discrimination in its admissions office.
Yale University President Peter Salovey announced on Wednesday that the DOJ is investigating the university over possible discrimination against Asian-American applicants. Salovey claimed that the investigation is related to the ongoing investigation into similar practices at Harvard University. The discrimination case against Harvard University is set to go to trial in October.
In his statement, Salovey vehemently denied that Yale University discriminates against Asian-American applicants.
As you may know, the Department of Justice and the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education are investigating whether Yale’s undergraduate admissions policies improperly discriminate on the basis of race, particularly in regard to Asian-American applicants. This investigation takes place in the context of legal challenges at other universities aimed at overturning Supreme Court precedent permitting the consideration of race in college admissions. I write now to state unequivocally that Yale does not discriminate in admissions against Asian Americans or any other racial or ethnic group, to share information about our undergraduate admissions practices, and to affirm our unwavering commitment to diversity as a pillar of this university.
Salovey used the rest of his statement to praise Yale’s work with regards to cultivating a diverse community. Of course, Salovey’s insistence that Yale is perfectly diverse might imply that race and ethnicity play a significant role in Yale’s admission decisions.
Diversity along many different dimensions strengthens Yale’s community of learning. As part of our mission to “educate aspiring leaders worldwide who serve all sectors of society,” we strive to recruit and retain students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds and to empower them to pursue their intellectual and professional goals. In our judgment as educators, based on experience with admissions policies at Yale dating back over fifty years—and in my own judgment and experience as a psychologist, professor, and former dean of Yale College—a diverse student body and faculty greatly enhances students’ academic experiences and maximizes their future success. By bringing people of different backgrounds, talents, and perspectives together, we prepare our students for a complex and dynamic world.
Breitbart News will continue ongoing coverage of the probes into discrimination at Harvard and Yale.