U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs of Massachusetts ruled on Tuesday that Harvard University’s undergraduate admissions process doesn’t intentionally discriminate against Asian-American applicants.  The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by Students for Fair Admissions which alleged the university’s admissions process of engaging in “racial balancing,” similar to quotas, and limiting the number of Asian-American applicants who are admitted each year.  The case is expected to be appealed and may eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court
 
In a 130-page ruling, Judge Burroughs found that Harvard’s practices were “not perfect” and could use improvements, including implicit bias training for admissions officers, but said “the Court will not dismantle a very fine admissions program that passes constitutional muster, solely because it could do better.”  The school’s admissions process is in line with Supreme Court precedents and doesn’t violate federal civil rights law, the judge found.
 
The ruling came just shy of a year after the judge heard three weeks of trial testimony in Boston. Harvard’s admissions dean and other witnesses defended the university against a lawsuit alleging the school imposed a penalty on Asian-American applicants by holding them to a higher standard than applicants of other races.
 
The lawsuit was filed in 2014 by the nonprofit group led by conservative legal activist Edward Blum, who spearheaded a similar lawsuit against University of Texas-Austin that reached the Supreme Court. The group also has a case pending against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
 
In a letter to the university community issued after the ruling, Harvard President Lawrence Bacow wrote:  “Diversity of all kinds creates remarkable opportunities and complex challenges. If we hope to make the world better, we must both pursue those opportunities and confront those challenges, motivated always by humility, generosity, and openness. The power of American higher education stems from a devotion to learning from our differences. Affirming that promise will make our colleges, and our society, stronger still.”
 
Below is news coverage of the decision from around the country:
 
Harvard Doesn’t Discriminate Against Asian-Americans in Admissions, Judge Rules
The Boston Globe (October 2, 2019)
 
After Months of Waiting, College Officials Breathe Sigh of Relief Over Decision in Harvard Case
The Boston Globe (October 2, 2019)
 
Judge Upholds Harvard’s Admissions Policy
The Harvard Gazette (October 2, 2019)
 
Judge Upholds Harvard's Admissions Policies
Inside Higher Ed (October 2, 2019)
 
‘Everything Is Not Sunshine’: What the Harvard Decision Means for Race-Conscious Admissions
The Chronicle of Higher Education (October 2, 2019)
 
Harvard Does Not Discriminate Against Asian-Americans in Admissions, Judge Rules
The New York Times (October 2, 2019)
 
5 Takeaways From the Harvard Admissions Ruling
The New York Times (October 2, 2019)
 
Judge Rules Harvard’s Race-Conscious Admissions Policy Constitutional
The Wall Street Journal (October 2, 2019)
 
Federal Judge Rules Harvard Does Not Discriminate Against Asian Americans in Admissions
The Washington Post (October 2, 2019)
 
Federal Judge Upholds Harvard's Race-Conscious Admissions Process
NPR  (October 2, 2019)

Judge Upholds Harvard Affirmative Action Policy
Politico (October 2, 2019)