US accuses Ohio State University of bias against Asian, white applicants

Washington: The US Justice Department has alleged that Ohio State University’s College of Medicine gave Black candidates an admissions advantage over equally qualified Asian applicants, while white applicants were also affected by discriminatory practices.

The department’s Civil Rights Division reached these findings after examining admissions for the medical school’s incoming classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025. It said the practices breached federal civil rights law and conflicted with the US Supreme Court’s 2023 decision prohibiting race-based college admissions.

Investigators found that Black candidates who completed screening and interviews were around 2.8 times more likely to gain admission than Asian applicants with similar credentials. The inquiry also identified a separate admissions route through which certain candidates could be accepted without receiving a screening score or attending an interview.

The medical school reportedly followed a “Holistic Approach”, evaluating candidates on attributes, experiences and metrics before the interview stage.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said admissions criteria must be applied equally, irrespective of race, and warned that the department would pursue action against institutions violating federal law.

The department plans to seek corrective measures through settlement negotiations and file lawsuits if no agreement is reached.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, colour or national origin in federally funded programmes. The findings represent the department’s allegations and do not constitute a court judgment.

With IANS inputs