University Sued for Considering Political Clout in Admissions

Story:
Rejected applicant sues U. of I. over 'clout list'
Suit seeks class-action status, more than $5 million in damages
Angie Leventis Lourgos
October 21, 2009

A rejected applicant sued the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Tuesday, alleging unfair admissions practices because the school had maintained a "clout list," accepting students based on political connections rather than academic credentials.

Jonathon Yard of Taylorville, Ill., filed the proposed class-action lawsuit against the state's flagship university on behalf of all "non-clout" applicants who had been denied admission from 1999 to 2009. The suit seeks more than $5 million in damages.

Yard was ranked in the top 15 percent of his high school class, scored a 29 on the ACT and was a varsity athlete, said the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Chicago.

After applying for admission in 2008, he was wait-listed, then rejected. The lawsuit notes that the university catalog cited academic record, ACT scores, leadership and communication skills among its admissions criteria. "Notably absent from this list of admission criterion is any mention of one's political clout," the suit states.

An ongoing Tribune investigation found that subpar candidates were admitted to the university based on political influence. The university president and chancellor have resigned because of the scandal.

University spokesman Thomas Hardy said he was aware of the suit but had not received it yet. Hardy said he could not comment until university administrators reviewed the complaint. Anticipating lawsuits such Yard's, the university hired the law firm Jenner & Block to provide advice.