Three white undergraduates at the University of Oklahoma have filed a class action lawsuit against the school, alleging that it violates their equal protection rights by awarding financial aid based on race. The lawsuit claims that Black students receive more financial grants compared to other racial groups, even when controlling for factors such as family income.
The lawsuit cites several examples of university programs and events that are allegedly exclusionary on the basis of race, including a three-day “Welcome Black Weekend” orientation for incoming students. The plaintiffs argue that the university’s “race-based financial aid decision making” has resulted in them receiving fewer grants than they would have if the school did not discriminate on the basis of race.
The lawsuit comes after the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the use of race in admissions violated equal-protection rights, ending prior leniency toward such programs. The University of Oklahoma has not yet commented on the lawsuit.