The U.S. Department of Justice has alleged that Duke University School of Law intentionally discriminated based on race in its admissions decisions. The DOJ claims that Duke’s use of diversity-driven essay questions and adjustments to its mission statement violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to strike down race-conscious admissions programs.
Allegations of Racial Discrimination
According to a news release, the DOJ alleges that Duke University School of Law intentionally discriminated based on race during the last three admissions cycles to admit more Blacks and Hispanics. The school’s use of “diversity” essay questions to identify preferred races for admission is still considered illegal discrimination based on race, said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
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Dhillon signed a six-page letter alleging that the North Carolina law school’s mission statement changed to express its goal to “help build and sustain a dynamic legal profession that embodies a commitment” to a number of stated values, such as equal justice, public service, and a “diversity of perspective and experience.”
Admissions Practices Under Scrutiny
The letter offers data from 2018 through 2025 showing that Black and Hispanic applicants in 2024 were admitted with lower LSAT scores of 164 and 170, respectively, while admitting Asian and white applicants with LSAT scores of 173 and 172, respectively. It adds that median LSATs of denied Asian and white applicants in 2024-2025 exceeded the median LSATs of admitted black applicants.
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Because the department determined that Duke Law deliberately discriminated on the basis of race in its decisions to admit and deny applicants, the letter states that the department seeks to enter into a voluntary resolution agreement with the university to ensure that admissions practices are brought into legal compliance.
Duke University School of Law said in a statement that it is “reviewing the letter and its conclusions carefully” and is “committed to complying with the law and will continue to do so in a manner that is consistent with our academic mission.”