DOJ investigates Stanford, Ohio State, and UC San Diego over admissions practices

The US Department of Justice has opened investigations into the admissions policies of three major medical schools, Stanford University, Ohio State University, and the University of California, San Diego, over concerns about potential race-based discrimination, the New York Times reported Thursday.

The Justice Department informed the universities on Wednesday that it is examining whether race played an improper role in their medical school admissions. According to a letter from Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, the investigation will cover applicants from the past seven years.

Officials are requesting detailed information, including applicants’ test scores, home ZIP codes, internal university communications on diversity and inclusion, and any correspondence with pharmaceutical companies related to admissions policies.

Universities have been given a deadline of April 24 to provide the requested data or risk losing federal funding. The move underscores the federal government’s heightened scrutiny of admissions practices at elite institutions and its efforts to enforce civil rights compliance.

The investigation is likely to reignite debates over the role of race in higher education admissions, especially at highly competitive medical schools.