New Lawsuit Claims Georgetown President Creates List of Wealthy
Plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Georgetown and 16 other universities have filed a new motion in federal court on Dec. 16. They claim that former President John J. DeGioia created a list of wealthy or legacy students for admission to Georgetown. This lawsuit, ongoing since January 2022, accuses Georgetown and other defendants of violating federal antitrust laws by colluding to increase attendance costs through considering a student’s financial situation in admissions decisions. These universities were part of the 568 Presidents Group, which collaborated in the 1990s to set a standard financial aid award formula.
Georgetown has denied any wrongdoing, stating that they do not consider an applicant’s wealth or family donations in the admissions process. The university policy prohibits soliciting or accepting gifts from individuals with relatives applying to the university. However, the recent court filing alleges that Georgetown continuously shows favoritism towards children of wealthy donors, despite claiming to have a “need-blind” admissions process.
The lawsuit seeks damages of $685 million for over 170,000 current and former students affected by the alleged price fixing. It is a class-action suit that accuses the schools of growing their endowments by $165 billion through collusion before the 568 Presidents Group dissolved. The filing references a “Special Interest Policy” authored by Dean of Admissions Charles Deacon, which reportedly allowed preferences for wealthy students.
A notable claim in the filing is the existence of a yearly “President’s List” composed of around 80 applicants per year, based on their parents’ donation history. Allegedly, DeGioia often annotated this list with “Please admit” at the top, without considering applicants’ academic qualifications. One student on this list allegedly met DeGioia’s acquaintance at a conference for wealthy individuals in Sun Valley, Idaho, leading to their admission after DeGioia’s involvement.
Georgetown is facing mounting pressure to eliminate legacy and donor preferences in admissions and implement class-conscious admissions. The recent filing coincides with increased calls to end legacy admissions, with a student group, Hoyas Against Legacy Admissions, leading a campaign against such practices. They have gathered significant support and testified in front of the D.C. Board of Education to advocate for change.
Ultimately, this legal battle raises essential questions about fairness and equity in university admissions practices. Georgetown’s response and the outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for how universities approach admissions in the future.
