Opening a new front in legal battles over college admissions, the U.S. Department of Education has launched a civil rights investigation into Harvard University's policies on legacy admissions. An Education Department spokesperson confirmed its Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation at Harvard. Wesleyan President Michael Roth said a student's "legacy status" has played a negligible role in admissions, but would now be eliminated entirely. Legacy policies have been called into question after last month's Supreme Court ruling banning affirmative action and any consideration of race in college admissions. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said he commended the Education Department for taking steps to ensure the higher education system "works for every American, not just a privileged few."

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Persons: Jane Sujen Bock, Michael Roth, Derrick Johnson, Brown Organizations: U.S . Department of Education, Harvard, Civil Rights, discriminates, Education Department, Coalition, Wesleyan University, Wesleyan, Amherst College, Carnegie Melon University, Johns Hopkins University, NAACP, Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, Duke, University of Chicago, Athletic Locations: Boston, New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland