New York Times examines “mismatch”
March 16, 2013
In the lead story in the NYT’s Sunday Review, Dan Slater undertakes a careful inquiry of the debate over “mismatch” in higher education. His conclusion: “If affirmative action continues — either until Justice O’Connor’s 2028 horizon or beyond — then the results from California and the Bar Passage Study suggest it’s worth a closer, numbers-based look at the consequences, for everyone.. ” Read Article
Constitutionality of voter initiatives banning racial preferences
March 25, 2013
The Supreme Court granted cert today to Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, a case, like Fisher, which puts before the Court questions about the proper regulation of racial preferences in higher education. The case originates in Michigan, which is one of half-a-dozen states where voters have passed initiatives banning the use of race in state programs — including admissions to state universities. Civil rights groups challenged the constitutionality of the Michigan initiative (known as Proposition 2), and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals narrowly ruled (by an 8-7 vote) last year that the initiative did violate the 14th Amendment by placing a higher burden on minorities seeking special consideration from the state…Read More
Report documents racial discrimination at “race-neutral” UCLA
October 23, 2012
When UCLA implemented holistic admissions in the winter of 2006-07, there was significant concern on campus that this would simply be a subterfuge for racial discrimination. Then, in the fall of 2007, when the number of enrolled freshman blacks doubled and the number of Hispanics remained unchanged, it seemed obvious that UCLA was using holistic admissions to discriminate in favor of blacks. Tim Groseclose and I submitted public records requests for detailed, anonymized admissions data in 2008, and the university was initially unresponsive. But eventually Kevin Reed, UCLA’s chief legal officer, decided to do the right thing and make the data available. Reed deserves considerable credit for this.…Read More
Project SEAPHE Director files comments about data privacy with the FTC
March 2, 2010
Project SEAPHE’s efforts to collect anonymous data from public agencies and universities are often thwarted by spurious privacy arguments. Recently, a media campaign surrounding the Netflix Prize database has put the future collection and use of anonymous data on even…Read More
New York Times erroneously reports that minority applicants are being “shut out” of law school
February 16, 2010
In January, the New York Times reported that “Law School Admissions Lag Among Minorities”. Relying exclusively on a study by Conrad Johnson, a professor at Columbia Law, the Times reported that the number of black and Mexican-American law school matriculants…Read More
Opening brief filed in first phase of California Bar lawsuit
December 8, 2009
We have filed our opening brief in the public records lawsuit over our request for anonymized admissions data held by the California State Bar. The brief argues that the public has a constitutional and common law right of access to…Read More
California Bar lawsuit will be tried under bifurcated proceedings
November 30, 2009
We have reached an agreement with the California State Bar to bifurcate the issues into two separate trial stages. The most novel and purely legal issues in the case, related to whether the State Bar has an obligation to provide…Read More
Lawsuit for anonymous California Bar data moves to Superior Court
November 18, 2008
Project SEAPHE along with co-plaintiffs California First Amendment Coalition and Joe Hicks of Community Advocates, Inc. re-filed suit against the California State Bar in Superior Court for the release of de-identified bar exam data. The suit was originally filed in…Read More
Scholars, civil rights leaders sue California Bar for release of records
August 8, 2008
Following the State Bar’s denial of a request for statistical records needed to study the effects of law school racial preferences, a team of researchers and the California First Amendment Coalition file suit to compel disclosure. Read More
U.S. Civil Rights Commission investigates “science mismatch”
July 31, 2008
The United States Civil Rights Commission has scheduled a hearing for September 12, 2008, to explore reasons behind the relatively low number of minority scientists in the American workforce. Dr. Richard Sander will be testifying at the hearing about mismatch…Read More
UCOP prepares major data release
July 15, 2008
The University of California’s Office of the President (UCOP) has agreed with Project Seaphe on a plan for the public release of anonymized student data. The data, covering more than half-a-million students who sought admission to or attended the university…Read More