A lawsuit has been filed by three advocacy groups against Harvard University's undergraduate college, alleging preferential treatment in admissions for wealthy donors and alumni.

The Chica Project, the African Community Economic Development of New England, and the Greater Boston Latino Network have lodged a civil rights complaint, claiming that Harvard's use of legacy admissions violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and disproportionately harms applicants of color.

Michael Kippins, a litigation fellow at Lawyers for Civil Rights, stated, "Harvard's practice of giving a leg-up to the children of wealthy donors and alumni -- who have done nothing to deserve it -- must end. This preferential treatment overwhelmingly goes to white applicants and harms efforts to diversify."

The filing of this complaint follows the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the use of race in college admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, effectively bringing an end to this practice in college admissions overall.

In light of last week's Supreme Court decision, Michael Kippins emphasized the urgency for the federal government to take action to eliminate this unfair barrier that systematically disadvantages students of color.

Lawyers for Civil Rights highlighted that 28% of Harvard's class of 2019 consisted of legacy applicants, predominantly white. The complaint further revealed that nearly 70% of Harvard's donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and they receive a significant advantage based on their status. Donor-related applicants are almost seven times more likely to be admitted than non-donor-related applicants, while legacies are nearly six times more likely.

The complaint also highlighted the special attention given to legacy and donor applicants during the interview process. While most applicants are interviewed by Harvard alumni, less than 3% are interviewed by an admissions officer or staff member.

In response to the Supreme Court decision, President Joe Biden proposed a "new standard" for universities to consider various factors, including the financial means of students and their families, their upbringing and high school attended, as well as personal experiences of hardship or discrimination, including racial discrimination, when making admissions decisions. Photo by Ingfbruno, Wikimedia commons.