Harvard racism trial: university’s ex-president Drew Faust takes witness stand to deny bias against Asian-Americans

Faust told a court the accusations of discrimination are ‘totally at odds with what we believe’

The case is pushed by Students for Fair Admissions, which was founded by an anti-affirmative action activist and is backed by the Trump administration

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Harvard University President Drew Faust (centre) congratulates students after they received their degrees during the 366th Commencement Exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2017. Photo: Reuters

Published: 5:45am, 2 Nov 2018Updated: 9:14pm, 2 Nov 2018

Former Harvard University President Drew Faust on Thursday rejected claims that the Ivy League school discriminates against Asian-American applicants, saying that doing so would be “totally at odds with what we believe”.

Faust, who stepped down as president in June, made the remarks on the witness stand in Boston federal court, in a closely-watched trial that could have wider implications for the role of race in US college admissions.

Former Harvard president Drew Faust pretends to stamp the hand of Lawrence Bacow with the great seal of the university, during Bacow's inauguration as the 29th President of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on October 5. Photo: Reuters

The trial, which is expected to end on Friday, has pitted the Cambridge, Massachusetts university against Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), which was founded by an anti-affirmative action activist and whose case is backed by the Trump administration.

Faust testified that much of her tenure had been dedicated to expanding access to Harvard, saying that financial aid to the elite college was increased under her watch and that several committees examined how to promote racial diversity.

We’ve made progress, but there’s still work to be done

Drew Faust

“We’ve made progress, but there’s still work to be done,” she said.