Harvard discrimination trial opens Monday

Opening statements are scheduled for Monday in a lawsuit that alleges Harvard University’s admission process discriminated against Asian-Americans. Virginia-based Students for Fair Admissions claims that Harvard unfairly rejected qualified applicants to keep its Asian-American student population artificially low. Harvard denies the charges and said race was only one factor in its application process. The trial will begin at a federal court in Boston. A judge last month declined to dismiss the suit, which could have significant implications for affirmative action policies at universities throughout the United States. The U.S. Justice Department in August filed a statement of agreement in the case, saying, “Harvard has failed to carry its demanding burden to show that its use of race does not inflict unlawful racial discrimination on Asian-Americans.” Filed in 2014, the suit argues that Harvard holds Asian-American applicants to higher academic standards and practices “racial balancing,” which has been ruled unconstitutional.