Science
WATCH: Law firm backs high-level student suing UW over race-based admissions
A lawsuit against the University of Washington challenges admissions practices at the Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering. The lawsuit alleges…
By Carleen Johnson · 2026-09-18T19:35:05.200Z
The Center Square A law firm specializing in government policies is taking up the case against The University of Washington on behalf of an Asian man who was denied admission, despite graduating high school with a 4.42 GPA, a 1590 SAT score, and a direct job offer from Google as a software engineer at the age of 18.
Pacific Legal Foundation is stepping in http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.2ZQNdBTzzxAKT 2FUAhtqSf8LK9IACXiS5m6VVq71weVwc99AolI 2FFP7XIIfv3U5g6znfdfC3xA 2Ft0kv1H5FUEYQR4O3rOhBi96eEAFPaoQg231tIzzkATuR2J9xNX8A 2BwfK5KSNoufm13uQqgE9lbw07bJdnRE9R7T67DRvI4yGDI5nHtm 2BiviZocVfZxrSmeOpVEpqLtxtHcEOiEMUJCD6bT6HUMu9c 2Bu 2Fl13PmvIeI 3DgH1p 0jd5oCb8POUcrDWDaA72uIcyOKReGwvqZaoBQyIicbXOPPX5jBK1USJmrhner6YakfuKp 2BMR4TdFwYl6xOq 2FEVs9ZUDSRrIkEYM5xBAvImaGJ35UUsJ 2F9i33r1dFOn5nVrYTiFk84oByjAMM4zUbF 2BeAzl5CEJSk 2B 2BbS4KU2kydd0ABG2l4JmrFWS36 2F 2F0tDJLWagr4gLGaH 2FR 2BnbidvzSapeRqh8Xqiq1 2BYqI0x 2FxzZ7FYf 2F 2BgUinu4y7yvt1MbLdUo2XmPJvD 2BY5AxHlmRoICZ9wyXjhC5kNGryLhG4DA2 2FkjJLtHhbkMTBUq0rA 2FuDcdg1W2aBPhC0W7TooyyDatnK6i3bFQkZTuwUX0tw 2FvqqwN 2FmlThWsK3msJODSq8qM0lOFql5ir9ob5G08AucA 3D 3D to represent Stanley Zhong in a lawsuit challenging the University of Washington’s race conscious admissions policy, which they say violates the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI by judging students as members of racial groups, rather than as individuals.
The case was first filed https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69668915/zhong v university of washington/ in February 2025.
“Stanley is the type of kid who did everything right. He demonstrates what we tell young people to do. Work hard, show initiative, achieve, and yet the story shows what happens when merit runs headfirst into a racial arbitrary racial barrier. That's something that that has got to end,” said Pacific Legal Foundation Senior Counsel Andrew Quinio in an interview Thursday with The Center Square.
“If there's some other reason Stanley didn't get in then that's something that of course, he can live with. But what they can't do is reject based on race,” said Quinio.
The University of Washington's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering rejected Zhong’s application in 2023.
“Stanley applied to the Allen School of computer science and engineering. Their DEI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan expressly stated that they would measure their percentage of domestic black, Hispanic, and American Indian, Alaska native, and Hawaiian Pacific Islander graduates after five years, to evaluate whether that percentage of those students was at least 15%,” said Quinio.
“That is the express racial goal, numerical racial goal, that our Constitution forbids.”
The Center Square reached out to the University of Washington about the lawsuit and Victor Balta with UW Communications responded to say Zhong’s admission denial was based on his lack of residency.
“The vast majority of out of state applicants are not admitted because, as Washington’s flagship university, we prioritize Washington residents for admission,” wrote Balta.
The Center Square sent a follow up question asking if the UW has any race based priority admissions policies.
“No,” wrote Balta.
A U.S. District Court judge recently denied UW’s request to dismiss the case, so the parties are now moving into the discovery phase, where Quinio said they’ll have access to documents about UW’s internal planning for admission policies.
“What they can't do is reject based on race. If there is some race neutral reason for it, that's not unconstitutional. That's not unlawful, so we want to get to the bottom of that,” Quinio said.
Pacific Legal claims UW’s race based admission policies go beyond just the Allen School.
“University of Washington has a diversity blueprint where it states their efforts to increase their capacity to serve students from underrepresented communities, specifically, Indigenous, black and persons of color. Notably absent from those categories are Asian students,” Quinio said.
While denying that race plays into admission decisions, the UW Section IV page https://www.washington.edu/diversity/appraisal process/sec iv diversity in student access and opportunities/ states, “The UW Board of Regents is committed to pursuing strategies that will increase diversity at the University, and since the passage of I 200 in November 1998, UW has implemented many new initiatives and programs in response to the removal of race, gender, and national origin from direct consideration in admissions decisions."
"The University has revamped its admissions criteria to conform to new legal frameworks, while at the same time ensuring the recruitment and matriculation of a diverse student body.”
This story originally appeared on thecentersquare.com https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article 3f8e2bcd 187a 41aa a7c5 661fded027dd.html .