Kenneth Glad
Several institutions are confronting fresh legal and political challenges. The disputes involve selection procedures, demonstrations and the limits of government oversight.
President Donald Trump’s administration has opened new investigations into American higher education, putting admissions practices and universities’ responses to pro-Palestinian demonstrations under renewed examination.
According to Reuters, the Justice Department is challenging Duke University School of Law’s admissions system, while the Education Department is examining two California institutions over allegations involving antisemitism.
Admissions practices come under scrutiny
The Justice Department says Duke Law gave an unlawful advantage to Black and Hispanic applicants. Its investigation concluded that the school “emphasized racial diversity in admissions” and that “a Black or Hispanic applicant has a substantially higher likelihood of admission to Duke Law than a white or Asian applicant with the same academic credentials.”
The department is seeking a voluntary settlement. Duke said it is reviewing the government’s findings.
“Duke is committed to complying with the law and will continue to do so in a manner that is consistent with our academic mission,” the university said, according to Reuters.
Similar federal findings have been issued this year involving Yale School of Medicine and UCLA’s medical school. Both institutions have defended their admissions systems as merit-based.
The disputes follow the Supreme Court’s 2023 decisions against the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Universities may still consider how an applicant’s experiences shaped individual qualities, but race cannot itself operate as the admissions factor used in the systems struck down by the court.
Campus demonstrations draw federal attention
The Education Department is also investigating San Jose State University and San Francisco State University after complaints alleging inadequate responses to antisemitism.
Reuters reported that federal officials cited alleged hostility toward Jewish students, antisemitic graffiti and demonstrations that disrupted classes. Both universities have condemned antisemitism, Islamophobia and other discrimination.
San Jose State separately rejected an allegation involving a supposed distinction between “good Jews” and “bad Jews” based on support for Israel’s government. The university said the remark “was never made by any representative of the university.”
The administration maintains that some pro-Palestinian activism has involved antisemitism or support for extremist groups. Demonstrators, including some Jewish organizations, argue that criticism of Israeli military operations and support for Palestinian rights are being wrongly treated as antisemitism.
The cases are part of a larger confrontation over university governance. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has called for reforms by the end of 2026, while the National Education Association has urged institutions not to accept the administration’s demands.
Sources: Reuters, U.S. Department of Justice
