UCSD scholarship open to all students after civil rights challenge

San Diego, California; October 20, 2025: A racially exclusive scholarship program for the University of California San Diego has been dismantled after the University and scholarship provider were sued under the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, a Reconstruction-era civil rights law designed to stop conspiracies between government officials and private groups that deprive Americans of equal protection. Rather than defend a program that awarded money only to Black students, UCSD partner the San Diego Foundation eliminated all restrictions based on race, renamed the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund, and opened eligibility to all qualified students. 

“This victory proves that the Constitution’s promise of equality before the law still has teeth,” said Jack Brown, PLF attorney on the case. “The Ku Klux Klan Act was written to stop government actors from conspiring with private parties to discriminate—and that’s exactly what happened here. When faced with the law, UCSD and its affiliates had no choice but to retreat. The action here is exactly what we demanded in our lawsuit.” 

The Californians for Equal Rights Foundation and UCSD student Kai Peters filed suit in July, alleging that the university funneled a racially exclusive scholarship through a private foundation to evade California’s constitutional ban on racial preferences. Qualified students of other races were automatically excluded from up to $10,000 in aid and valuable mentoring opportunities. 

This swift capitulation vindicates not only the plaintiffs’ rights but the broader principle that no public institution may outsource discrimination to private hands. The new Goins Alumni Scholarship Fund will base awards on merit, leadership, volunteer service and financial need—without regard to race. 

The case is Californians for Equal Rights Foundation v. UC San Diego, et al.