UC San Diego Makes Alumni Scholarship Race-Neutral After KKK Act Challenge

Overview

• UC San Diego renamed the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund as the Goins Alumni Scholarship Fund and opened eligibility to students of all races.
• The Pacific Legal Foundation sued in July under the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act and dropped the case on Monday after the university’s changes.
• Plaintiffs alleged UC San Diego worked with a private foundation to bypass California’s Proposition 209 and shared data to target Black applicants.
• UC San Diego materials say the fund has awarded nearly $60 million to more than 15,400 students and previously served only Black scholars.
• The updated website lists race-neutral criteria and expects applications to open in 2026, and PLF attorneys say the strategy could be used to contest similar programs elsewhere.