Following the Supreme Court's decision against affirmative action, Harvard University's legacy admissions policy is now under scrutiny. A civil rights complaint, filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), alleges that this practice, which gives preferential treatment to applicants with familial ties to the institution, discriminates against Black applicants and disproportionately favors White students. LCR argues that legacy status, based on family connections and wealth, should not be a factor in college admissions decisions.

LCR's executive director, Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, questioned the fairness of rewarding applicants based on their ancestors' privileges and financial resources. This challenge comes just days after the Supreme Court deemed Harvard's race-conscious affirmative action policies unconstitutional. While Harvard has agreed to abide by the ruling, they have also reiterated their commitment to maintaining a diverse student body. The university stated that it would be exploring ways to uphold its values while adhering to the new legal precedent.

Harvard's leadership emphasized the importance of diversity for academic excellence and pointed to the Supreme Court's allowance for considering how race has affected an applicant's life. This suggests a possible avenue for the university to continue factoring race into admissions decisions, albeit indirectly. The complaint filed with the Department of Education highlights the ongoing debate surrounding fairness and access in higher education, particularly in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision. While Harvard has declined to comment specifically on the LCR complaint, their earlier statements indicate they intend to navigate these complex issues while remaining compliant with the law.