一項集體訴訟提交的新文件稱,美國一些頂級大學在招生時會對有關系的富家子弟進行特殊關照。該訴訟最初的指控對象涵蓋17所大學。
例如,喬治城大學(Georgetown University)時任校長在愛達荷大會上與一位潛在女學生富有的父親見面之后,將她的名字列在其“校長清單上”,而這個愛達荷大會又被稱之為“億萬富翁夏令營”。這個案例源于12月17日提交給芝加哥聯(lián)邦法院的“學費壟斷”訴訟(該訴訟于2022年提起)文件。
盡管外界認為這種特殊關照始終存在,但該文件也從一個罕見的視角讓人們看到了大學負責人和招生官員經常在私底下進行的操作。這一現(xiàn)象揭示了各大高校為何會招收那些原本并不符合錄取條件的富家子弟,原因在于其父母有著強大的關系網(wǎng),而且可能會在事后向學校捐贈大量物資。此事也讓人們對高校的公平性產生質疑。
麻省理工學院(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)招生主任斯圖爾特?施米爾在2018年的一封郵件中寫道,該校時任主席羅伯特?米拉德推薦了六名申請人,有四名被錄取,其中包括兩名“原本不會錄取的學生”。有兩名學生沒有被錄取是因為他們“水平不夠,或者沒有得到米拉德的力薦。”
施米爾在郵件中稱,米拉德十分注意淡化其左右招生決策的行為,但他指出,米拉德還為所有六名學生遞了條,并在隨后見了施米爾,與其分享了“他認為哪些學生應優(yōu)先錄取”的洞見。
這些文件是一項訴訟案披露的最新指控,該訴訟稱美國17家最知名大學合謀降低申請就讀學生的競爭門檻,并降低學校提供的助學金額度,同時對富有捐贈者的子弟給予特別關照。
原告律師羅伯特?吉爾伯特表示:“這種非法的合謀導致被告向學生提供的經濟援助要遠低于自由市場中本該提供的額度。”
自提起訴訟以來,有10所高校達成和解,支付了共計2.84億美元的和解費,包括向當前和已畢業(yè)學生支付高達2000美元的費用,因為在過去20多年中,這些學生的助學金可能遭到了學校的克扣。這10所高校分別是布朗大學(Brown University)、芝加哥大學(University of Chicago)、哥倫比亞大學(Columbia University)、達特茅斯學院(Dartmouth College)、杜克大學(Duke University)、埃默里大學(Emory University)、西北大學(Northwestern University)、萊斯大學(Rice University)、范德比爾特大學(Vanderbilt University)和耶魯大學(Yale University)。
約翰·霍普金斯大學(Johns Hopkins University)正在進行和解,但仍有六所大學選擇對簿公堂,分別是加州理工學院(California Institute of Technology)、康奈爾大學(Cornell University)、喬治城大學、麻省理工學院、圣母大學(University of Notre Dame)和賓夕法尼亞大學(University of Pennsylvania)。
麻省理工學院稱,該起訴和有關錄取關照的起訴都是無稽之談。
該校發(fā)言人金伯利?艾倫表示:“麻省理工學院在招生方面從未有過偏袒富人的歷史,事實正好相反。在經歷了數(shù)年的調查之后,無數(shù)形成的文件證明,麻省理工在招生流程的獨立性方面有著無懈可擊的記錄。原告不妨舉出哪怕一個案例,來證明某位董事的推薦幫助左右了兩名本科申請人的錄取決定?!?/p>
在一份聲明中,賓夕法尼亞大學亦表示該訴訟毫無根據(jù)可言,因為有證據(jù)顯示,學校并未因學生家庭向這所常青藤學校捐贈或承諾捐贈錢物而偏袒該學生。
該校表示:“原告提起這一訴訟的目的就是想通過一些與本案完全無關的問題,讓各高校因訴訟所聲稱的招生做法感到難堪。”
圣母大學官方亦稱此案屬于莫須有。一位學校發(fā)言人在聲明中表示:“我們堅信,圣母大學招收的每一名學生都是完全符合錄取條件的,而且為成功做好了準備?!?/p>
不過,印第安納大學南本德分校(Indiana University South Bend)顯然招收了不符合錄取學習成績的富家子弟。
新提交的訴訟文件顯示,圣母大學當時主管招生的副校長助理唐?畢夏普在2012年的一封郵件中毫不避諱地談到了“特殊利益”招生,并稱當年新錄取學生的學習成績不如往年。
畢夏普寫道,在2012年招收的那一批學生中,有38名申請者的學習成績“很差”。他說,這些學生的錄取“在很大程度上受到了家族關系和資助史的左右”。他還表示,“他們的大量捐贈或捐贈承諾影響了我們的決策,今年比去年更嚴重,但我們對此聽之任之?!?/p>
他在郵件的最后一句話寫道:“真的希望那些富人明年能多培養(yǎng)幾個聰明的孩子!”
上周法院文件中提到的一些案例顯示,學生只要支付全額學費就能獲得優(yōu)待。在一份證詞中,前范德比爾特大學招生主任稱,在某些情況下,如果學生不需要助學金,那么他在候選名單中的排名就會上浮。
這 17 所學校隸屬于一個成立了數(shù)十年的團體,后者獲得了國會的許可,使用共通的公式來計算助學援助發(fā)放額。這種安排原本可能會違反反壟斷法,但獲得了國會的準許,前提是這些學校設立了“需求回避”招生政策,也就是在錄取時不能考慮學生的經濟狀況。
該訴訟認為,很多大學都稱自己在執(zhí)行“需求回避”政策,但卻經常性地給予校友和捐贈者子女特殊關照。該訴訟稱,學校的此類做法違反了國會豁免,并玷污了整個大學群體。
由于允許這一合作的法令到期,該團體已在幾年前解散。(財富中文網(wǎng))
美聯(lián)社(Associated Press)的教育板塊收到了多個私人基金會的支持。美聯(lián)社對所有內容全權負責。敬請登陸網(wǎng)站AP.org,查看美聯(lián)社的慈善事業(yè)合作標準、支持者清單以及受資助的報道領域。
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
一項集體訴訟提交的新文件稱,美國一些頂級大學在招生時會對有關系的富家子弟進行特殊關照。該訴訟最初的指控對象涵蓋17所大學。
例如,喬治城大學(Georgetown University)時任校長在愛達荷大會上與一位潛在女學生富有的父親見面之后,將她的名字列在其“校長清單上”,而這個愛達荷大會又被稱之為“億萬富翁夏令營”。這個案例源于12月17日提交給芝加哥聯(lián)邦法院的“學費壟斷”訴訟(該訴訟于2022年提起)文件。
盡管外界認為這種特殊關照始終存在,但該文件也從一個罕見的視角讓人們看到了大學負責人和招生官員經常在私底下進行的操作。這一現(xiàn)象揭示了各大高校為何會招收那些原本并不符合錄取條件的富家子弟,原因在于其父母有著強大的關系網(wǎng),而且可能會在事后向學校捐贈大量物資。此事也讓人們對高校的公平性產生質疑。
麻省理工學院(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)招生主任斯圖爾特?施米爾在2018年的一封郵件中寫道,該校時任主席羅伯特?米拉德推薦了六名申請人,有四名被錄取,其中包括兩名“原本不會錄取的學生”。有兩名學生沒有被錄取是因為他們“水平不夠,或者沒有得到米拉德的力薦。”
施米爾在郵件中稱,米拉德十分注意淡化其左右招生決策的行為,但他指出,米拉德還為所有六名學生遞了條,并在隨后見了施米爾,與其分享了“他認為哪些學生應優(yōu)先錄取”的洞見。
這些文件是一項訴訟案披露的最新指控,該訴訟稱美國17家最知名大學合謀降低申請就讀學生的競爭門檻,并降低學校提供的助學金額度,同時對富有捐贈者的子弟給予特別關照。
原告律師羅伯特?吉爾伯特表示:“這種非法的合謀導致被告向學生提供的經濟援助要遠低于自由市場中本該提供的額度。”
自提起訴訟以來,有10所高校達成和解,支付了共計2.84億美元的和解費,包括向當前和已畢業(yè)學生支付高達2000美元的費用,因為在過去20多年中,這些學生的助學金可能遭到了學校的克扣。這10所高校分別是布朗大學(Brown University)、芝加哥大學(University of Chicago)、哥倫比亞大學(Columbia University)、達特茅斯學院(Dartmouth College)、杜克大學(Duke University)、埃默里大學(Emory University)、西北大學(Northwestern University)、萊斯大學(Rice University)、范德比爾特大學(Vanderbilt University)和耶魯大學(Yale University)。
約翰·霍普金斯大學(Johns Hopkins University)正在進行和解,但仍有六所大學選擇對簿公堂,分別是加州理工學院(California Institute of Technology)、康奈爾大學(Cornell University)、喬治城大學、麻省理工學院、圣母大學(University of Notre Dame)和賓夕法尼亞大學(University of Pennsylvania)。
麻省理工學院稱,該起訴和有關錄取關照的起訴都是無稽之談。
該校發(fā)言人金伯利?艾倫表示:“麻省理工學院在招生方面從未有過偏袒富人的歷史,事實正好相反。在經歷了數(shù)年的調查之后,無數(shù)形成的文件證明,麻省理工在招生流程的獨立性方面有著無懈可擊的記錄。原告不妨舉出哪怕一個案例,來證明某位董事的推薦幫助左右了兩名本科申請人的錄取決定。”
在一份聲明中,賓夕法尼亞大學亦表示該訴訟毫無根據(jù)可言,因為有證據(jù)顯示,學校并未因學生家庭向這所常青藤學校捐贈或承諾捐贈錢物而偏袒該學生。
該校表示:“原告提起這一訴訟的目的就是想通過一些與本案完全無關的問題,讓各高校因訴訟所聲稱的招生做法感到難堪。”
圣母大學官方亦稱此案屬于莫須有。一位學校發(fā)言人在聲明中表示:“我們堅信,圣母大學招收的每一名學生都是完全符合錄取條件的,而且為成功做好了準備?!?/p>
不過,印第安納大學南本德分校(Indiana University South Bend)顯然招收了不符合錄取學習成績的富家子弟。
新提交的訴訟文件顯示,圣母大學當時主管招生的副校長助理唐?畢夏普在2012年的一封郵件中毫不避諱地談到了“特殊利益”招生,并稱當年新錄取學生的學習成績不如往年。
畢夏普寫道,在2012年招收的那一批學生中,有38名申請者的學習成績“很差”。他說,這些學生的錄取“在很大程度上受到了家族關系和資助史的左右”。他還表示,“他們的大量捐贈或捐贈承諾影響了我們的決策,今年比去年更嚴重,但我們對此聽之任之?!?/p>
他在郵件的最后一句話寫道:“真的希望那些富人明年能多培養(yǎng)幾個聰明的孩子!”
上周法院文件中提到的一些案例顯示,學生只要支付全額學費就能獲得優(yōu)待。在一份證詞中,前范德比爾特大學招生主任稱,在某些情況下,如果學生不需要助學金,那么他在候選名單中的排名就會上浮。
這 17 所學校隸屬于一個成立了數(shù)十年的團體,后者獲得了國會的許可,使用共通的公式來計算助學援助發(fā)放額。這種安排原本可能會違反反壟斷法,但獲得了國會的準許,前提是這些學校設立了“需求回避”招生政策,也就是在錄取時不能考慮學生的經濟狀況。
該訴訟認為,很多大學都稱自己在執(zhí)行“需求回避”政策,但卻經常性地給予校友和捐贈者子女特殊關照。該訴訟稱,學校的此類做法違反了國會豁免,并玷污了整個大學群體。
由于允許這一合作的法令到期,該團體已在幾年前解散。(財富中文網(wǎng))
美聯(lián)社(Associated Press)的教育板塊收到了多個私人基金會的支持。美聯(lián)社對所有內容全權負責。敬請登陸網(wǎng)站AP.org,查看美聯(lián)社的慈善事業(yè)合作標準、支持者清單以及受資助的報道領域。
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
Children of the wealthy and connected get special admissions consideration at some elite U.S. universities, according to new filings in a class-action lawsuit originally brought against 17 schools.
Georgetown’s then-president, for example, listed a prospective student on his “president’s list” after meeting her and her wealthy father at an Idaho conference known as “summer camp for billionaires,” according to Tuesday court filings in the price-fixing lawsuit filed in Chicago federal court in 2022.
Although it’s always been assumed that such favoritism exists, the filings offer a rare peek at the often secret deliberations of university heads and admissions officials. They show how schools admit otherwise unqualified wealthy children because their parents have connections and could possibly donate large sums down the line, raising questions about fairness.
Stuart Schmill, the dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a 2018 email that the university admitted four out of six applicants recommended by then-board chairman Robert Millard, including two who “we would really not have otherwise admitted.” The two others were not admitted because they were “not in the ball park, or the push from him was not as strong.”
In the email, Schmill said Millard was careful to play down his influence on admissions decisions, but he said the chair also sent notes on all six students and later met with Schmill to share insight “into who he thought was more of a priority.”
The filings are the latest salvo in a lawsuit that claims that 17 of the nation’s most prestigious colleges colluded to reduce the competition for prospective students and drive down the amount of financial aid they would offer, all while giving special preference to the children of wealthy donors.
“That illegal collusion resulted in the defendants providing far less aid to students than would have been provided in a free market,” said Robert Gilbert, an attorney for the plaintiffs.
Since the lawsuit was filed, 10 of the schools have reached settlements to pay out a total of $284 million, including payments of up to $2,000 to current or former students whose financial aid might have been shortchanged over a period of more than two decades. They are Brown, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Northwestern, Rice, Vanderbilt and Yale.
Johns Hopkins is working on a settlement and the six schools still fighting the lawsuit are the California Institute of Technology, Cornell, Georgetown, MIT, Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania.
MIT called the lawsuit and the claims about admissions favoritism baseless.
“MIT has no history of wealth favoritism in its admissions; quite the opposite,” university spokesperson Kimberly Allen said. “After years of discovery in which millions of documents were produced that provide an overwhelming record of independence in our admissions process, plaintiffs could cite just a single instance in which the recommendation of a board member helped sway the decisions for two undergraduate applicants.”
In a statement, Penn also said the case is meritless that the evidence shows that it doesn’t favor students whose families have donated or pledged money to the Ivy League school.
“Plaintiffs’ whole case is an attempt to embarrass the University about its purported admission practices on issues totally unrelated to this case,” the school said.
Notre Dame officials also called the case baseless. “We are confident that every student admitted to Notre Dame is fully qualified and ready to succeed,” a university spokesperson said in a statement.
The South Bend, Indiana, school, though, did apparently admit wealthy students with subpar academic backgrounds.
According to the new court filings, Don Bishop, who was then associate vice president for enrollment at Notre Dame, bluntly wrote about the “special interest” admits in a 2012 email, saying that year’s crop had poorer academic records than the previous year’s.
The 2012 group included 38 applicants who were given a “very low” academic rating, Bishop wrote. He said those students represented “massive allowances to the power of the family connections and funding history,” adding that “we allowed their high gifting or potential gifting to influence our choices more this year than last year.”
The final line of his email: “Sure hope the wealthy next year raise a few more smart kids!”
Some of the examples pointed to in this week’s court filings showed that just being able to pay full tuition would give students an advantage. During a deposition, a former Vanderbilt admissions director said that in some cases, a student would get an edge on the waitlist if they didn’t need financial aid.
The 17 schools were part of a decades-old group that got permission from Congress to come up with a shared approach to awarding financial aid. Such an arrangement might otherwise violate antitrust laws, but Congress allowed it as long as the colleges all had need-blind admissions policies, meaning they wouldn’t consider a student’s financial situation when deciding who gets in.
The lawsuit argues that many colleges claimed to be need-blind but routinely favored the children of alumni and donors. In doing so, the suit says, the colleges violated the Congressional exemption and tainted the entire organization.
The group dissolved in recent years when the provision allowing the collaboration expired.
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.