Stanford University and University of California schools now in DOJ’s crosshairs over affirmative action

The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday launched investigations into Stanford University and three University of California schools to ensure they comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down race-conscious admissions.

The 2023 ruling effectively prohibited affirmative action policies that were long used to raise the number of Black, Hispanic, and other underrepresented minority students on American campuses.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed the department’s civil rights division to investigate to ensure that the schools comply with a Supreme Court decision that prevents colleges and universities from discriminating when choosing students for admission, the department said in a news release.

In addition to Stanford, the review will cover the University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine.

Since taking office for his second term, President Donald Trump’s administration has attempted to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within the government and the private sector. He has also taken aim at academic institutions and universities, launching dozens of investigations and threatening to cut off funding to schools that promote DEI.

“President Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country,” Bondi said in the release. “Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect, and character, not the color of their skin.”

The investigations were “just the beginning” of the Justice Department’s attempt to eradicate DEI programs, the media release said.

Stanford University said in a statement it began taking steps to comply with the Supreme Court decision immediately after it was issued.

“We continue to be committed to fulfilling our obligations under the law. We do not have details about today’s announcement, but we look forward to learning more about their concerns and responding to the department’s questions,” Stanford spokesperson Dee Mostofi said in an email.

The University of California said it has adhered to a ban on affirmative action in admissions since California voters approved one in the ballot initiative Proposition 209 in 1996.

“At the same time, we remain committed to expanding access for all qualified students,” the statewide university system said in a statement. “The UC undergraduate admissions  application  collects  students’ race and ethnicity for statistical purposes only. This information is  not shared with application reviewers  and is not used for admissions.”

—Ryan Patrick Jones and Daniel Trotta, Reuters