In case not everyone saw this, I am forwarding.  This is about SFFA vs. Harvard, a case organized by Edward Blum, who was involved in organizing and promoting the Fisher v. University of Texas lawsuit.

Maricela Oliva

From: fisher2signers-request@lists.gseis.ucla.edu <fisher2signers-request@lists.gseis.ucla.edu> On Behalf Of Laurie Russman
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2018 11:43 AM
To: fisher2signers@lists.gseis.ucla.edu
Subject: [[Fisher Signatures]] See note & sign-on info due today Monday, Aug. 27 by 5pm EST for friend-of-the-court brief in SFFA v. Harvard

The Civil Rights Project is forwarding the note below about this important brief. 

Gary Orfield 

CRP Co-director

Dear Colleague:

The U.S. District Court in Massachusetts is currently considering a challenge brought against Harvard University’s race-conscious admissions policies and practices in a case called SFFA v. Harvard. The lawsuit was filed by Students for Fair Admissions, an organization created by Edward Blum, who recruited Asian American plaintiffs in the case after he lost the last major challenge against affirmative action before the U.S. Supreme Court in Fisher v. University of Texas.

The case will establish an important record as it potentially makes its way to the U.S. Supreme Court and could have important implications for all universities, public and private. As such, we believe it is vitally important that the lower federal court base its decision on the rigorous body of research that supports Harvard’s policy. With this important interest in mind, a small group of us from across the country with expertise on issues related to the case, with the assistance of our pro-bono attorney, have drafted an amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) brief on behalf of social science experts on Asian Americans, race, and/or college access. The plaintiff in the case has asked the court to rule on its behalf before the case goes to trial; the draft brief supports Harvard’s opposition to that request. The brief must be filed by August 30, 2018.

In the case, plaintiff argues that Harvard’s limited consideration of race in its admissions process intentionally discriminates against Asian American applicants. In light of tight space limits, we are not able to include all the important issues to address these arguments, but overall, the draft brief addresses the following major points supported by research: (1) why Asian American applicants, like applicants of all races, benefit from Harvard’s whole-person review process; and (2) why Plaintiff’s arguments, which promote numerical measures as the only measures of success, are not only flawed, but based on racial myths and stereotypes of Asian Americans.

Please review the draft brief and let us know by Monday, August 27, 2018 if you wish to sign, by completing this form. 

We want to include scholars with expertise on the topic of Asian Americans, race, and/or college access in order for the court to understand the broad consensus that exists on the issues presented in the case.  Institutional affiliations will be listed only for identification and not for indicating any institutional endorsement. The draft will undergo some final editing, including citation formatting. Given the tight turn-around, we are not able to make substantive changes. However, within the form, please let us know of any clear errors or if we have missed important research. We encourage you to distribute this request to others whom we may have missed. All researchers who have earned a doctoral degree in the social sciences (e.g., anthropology, Asian American/ethnic studies, economics, education, political science, public policy, sociology, etc.) and have research expertise regarding Asian Americans, race, and/or college access are eligible to sign on to this draft brief.

We are aware that some of you are involved in this case or a separate challenge (SFFA v. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill), or that you are working with other organizations/collectives submitting amicus briefs. Please note that individuals should only sign on to one amicus brief.

Thank you for your consideration.

OiYan Poon, Ph.D. (Colorado State University)*
Janelle Wong, Ph.D. (University of Maryland, College Park)*
Liliana Garces, Ed.D., J.D. (University of Texas at Austin)*
Megan Segoshi, Ph.D. (Independent Scholar)
David Silver, Ph.D.  (Impaq International)*

*Institutional/organizational affiliation listed for identification purposes only and does not imply institutional/organizational support