Judge dismisses trump lawsuit demanding harvard admissions data
What the administration sought
The administration filed suit against Harvard in February, accusing the university of obstructing a federal review of its admissions procedures. Officials sought documents including individual students’ application essays and other records about applicant-level decisions.
Judge cites procedural hurdles
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Myong J. Joun in Boston granted Harvard’s motion to dismiss. He wrote that the administration had not cleared procedural hurdles needed to justify a court order for the records. Joun said the ruling did not decide whether Harvard had discriminated, whether agencies could lawfully seek properly defined applicant-level data, or whether the university might eventually have to provide it.
Harvard challenged the demands
In court filings, Harvard argued that the government’s document demands were too broad. The university described the case as part of what it called the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign against Harvard, aimed at pressuring the school into negotiations over administration priorities. Harvard has said it complied with federal law in its admissions processes.
Key points
- A federal judge dismissed the administration’s lawsuit seeking Harvard admissions records.
- The requested materials included student essays and documents about individual admissions decisions.
- The judge’s decision rested on procedural hurdles, not a finding about discrimination.
- Harvard said it had complied with federal law in its admissions processes.