Federal Investigation Launched into Harvard's Legacy Admissions Preferences

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into Harvard University's use of donor and legacy preferences in its undergraduate admissions practices to determine if it discriminates on the basis of race. This investigation follows a study by Harvard economists that found Ivy League universities give significant admissions advantages to wealthy applicants. The investigation comes ahead of a National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education and a federal complaint filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights. Harvard has confirmed that it is reviewing its admissions policies and remains committed to diversity and equal opportunity.