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DOJ Alleges UCLA Med School Illegally Collects Race Data

5/7/2026

38 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Justice Department (DOJ) reported UCLA’s medical school used an application to collect race data for diversity goals.
The department said the practice violates law and called it anti-American.
DOJ noted Black and Hispanic students had GPAs of 3.63 and 3.55, versus 3.75 for White and 3.81 for Asian applicants.
UCLA said admissions are merit-based, that it is reviewing report, and that it remains confident, while DOJ will seek a resolution.

History

Historical Context

The Supreme Court’s 1978 Bakke ruling struck down UC-Davis’s 16-seat minority quota while allowing race as one factor in admissions. That decision anchored affirmative-action policy for decades, later affirmed in Grutter (2003) and overturned in 2023’s Students for Fair Admissions case. Today the DOJ challenges UCLA’s medical-school race-tracking tool, reviving Bakke-era scrutiny.

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Story summary

Justice Department (DOJ) reported UCLA’s medical school used an application to collect race data for diversity goals.
The department said the practice violates law and called it anti-American.
DOJ noted Black and Hispanic students had GPAs of 3.63 and 3.55, versus 3.75 for White and 3.81 for Asian applicants.
UCLA said admissions are merit-based, that it is reviewing report, and that it remains confident, while DOJ will seek a resolution.

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