OU is getting sued for allegedly giving financial aid priority to non-white students, based on a statistical analysis of aid distribution practices over a 13-year period, meaning that OU violated the civil rights of multiple students if the allegations are found to be true.
From the OCPA article:
“The class-action lawsuit seeks damages for impacted students, alleging OU violated the students’ rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Despite prior court rulings, including a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that outlawed the use of race in college admissions, the complaint states that “racial preferences continue to exist at the University of Oklahoma.”
“Rather than determining who to admit based on their race, the University of Oklahoma determines how much financial aid it gives to students based on their race,” the complaint states. “That is unlawful.””
Civil rights and non-discrimination protections aren’t just for minorities, they’re for everyone. Financial aid officers aren’t exactly the sharpest knives, and these colleges probably need to make their employees aware of the law, and consequences thereof, before they unwittingly breaking it.
