Texas Medical School Lawsuit
Texas Medical School Lawsuit
Texas Medical School Lawsuit
Plaintiff,
v.
Defendants.
CLASS-ACTION COMPLAINT
Federal law prohibits universities that accept federal funds from discriminating on
account of race or sex. See 42 U.S.C. § 2000d (Title VI); 20 U.S.C. § 1681 (Title IX).
Medical schools in Texas are flouting these requirements by using race and sex pref-
erences in student admissions — a practice that violates the clear and unequivocal text
of Title VI and Title IX, as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth
Amendment. The plaintiff brings suit to enjoin these discriminatory practices, and to
ensure that the defendants comply with their obligations under federal anti-discrimi-
nation laws.
2. Venue is proper because a substantial part of the events giving rise to the
claims occurred in this judicial district. See 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b)(2). Venue is addi-
tionally proper because at least one of the defendants resides in this judicial district
and all defendants reside in Texas. See 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b)(1).
PARTIES
3. Plaintiff George Stewart is a citizen of Texas.
4. Defendant Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is located in Lub-
bock, Texas. It can be served at the Office of General Counsel for the Texas Tech
University System, whose address is: System Administration Building, 1508 Knoxville
Avenue, Suite 301, Box 42021, Lubbock, Texas 79409-2021.
served at the Office of Legal Affairs for the University of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston, whose address is: 7000 Fannin Street, Houston, Texas 77030. Dr. Han-
cock is sued in his official capacity.
18. Defendant Margaret C. McNeese is Associate Dean for Admissions and Stu-
dent Affairs at the University of Texas Health Science Center Medical School in Hou-
ston. Dr. McNeese can be served at the Office of Legal Affairs for the University of
Texas Health Science Center at Houston, whose address is: 7000 Fannin Street, Hou-
ston, Texas 77030. Dr. McNeese is sued in her official capacity.
19. Defendant University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is located in
Galveston, Texas. It can be served at its Office of Legal & Regulatory Affairs, whose
address is: 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555.
20. Defendant Charles P. Mouton is President ad interim of University of Texas
Medical Branch. Dr. Mouton can be served at the Office of Legal & Regulatory Af-
fairs for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, whose address is: 301
University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555. Dr. Mouton is sued in his official ca-
pacity.
21. Defendant Jeffrey Susman is Interim Dean of the John Sealy School of Med-
icine. Dr. Susman can be served at the Office of Legal & Regulatory Affairs for the
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, whose address is: 301 University
Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555. Dr. Susman is sued in his official capacity.
22. Defendant Ruth E. Levine is Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Admis-
sions at the John Sealy School of Medicine. Dr. Levine can be served at the Office of
Legal & Regulatory Affairs for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston,
whose address is: 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555. Dr. Levine is
sued in her official capacity.
Legal & Regulatory Affairs for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston,
whose address is: 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555. Dr. Banks is
sued in his official capacity.
24. Defendant University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is lo-
cated in San Antonio, Texas. It can be served at 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio,
Texas 78229.
25. Defendant William L. Henrich is President of the University of Texas Health
Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Henrich can be served at 7703 Floyd Curl Drive,
San Antonio, Texas 78229. Dr. Henrich is sued in his official capacity.
26. Defendant Robert A. Hromas is Dean of the Long School of Medicine. Dr.
Hromas can be served at 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229. Dr.
Hromas is sued in his official capacity.
27. Defendant Belinda Chapa Gonzalez is Director of Admissions and Special
Programs Undergraduate Medical Education at the Long School of Medicine. Ms.
Gonzalez can be served at 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229. Ms.
Gonzalez is sued in her official capacity.
28. Defendant Chiquita Collins is Vice President for Diversity, Equity and In-
clusion and Chief Diversity Officer of the University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio. Dr. Collins can be served at 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio,
the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, which is located at: 5323 Harry
Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 7539. Dr. Podolsky is sued in his official capacity.
31. Defendant W.P. Andrew Lee is Dean of the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical School. Dr. Lee can be served at the Office of Legal Affairs for the University
of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, which is located at: 5323 Harry Hines Boule-
vard, Dallas, Texas 7539. Dr. Lee is sued in his official capacity.
32. Defendant Leah Schouten is Director of Admissions and Recruitment at
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Ms. Schouten can be served at the
Office of Legal Affairs for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center,
which is located at: 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 7539. Ms. Schouten
is sued in her official capacity.
STATEMENT OF FACTS
33. Each of the defendant medical schools and universities, along with nearly
every medical school and university in the United States,1 discriminates on account of
race and sex when admitting students by giving discriminatory preferences to females
and non-Asian minorities, and by discriminating against whites, Asians, and men. This
practice, popularly known as “affirmative action,” allows applicants with inferior aca-
demic credentials to obtain admission at the expense of rejected candidates with better
academic credentials.
34. These race and sex preferences are illegal under the clear and unambiguous
text of Title VI and Title IX, which prohibit all forms of race and sex discrimination
1. See Mark J. Perry, New Chart Illustrates Graphically the Racial Preferences for
Blacks, Hispanics Being Admitted to US Medical Schools, American Enterprise In-
stitute, available at: https://bit.ly/3Qp0RZQ (last visited on January 10, 2023);
see also Exhibit 1 (data from the American Association of Medical Colleges show-
ing that the mean GPAs and MCAT scores of black and Hispanic matriculants to
U.S. MD-granting medical schools in 2022–23 were significantly lower than the
mean GPAs and MCAT scores of white and Asian matriculants).
at medical schools and universities that receive federal funds and make no exception
for diversity-based affirmative-action programs.
35. They also violate 42 U.S.C. § 1981, which prohibits racial discrimination in
contracting and makes no exception for diversity-based affirmative-action programs.
36. Plaintiff George Stewart grew up in Texas with the desire to study science,
become a physician and serve others with his gifting. He made the sacrifices necessary
to excel as a student from an early age and thereafter, graduating from high school
with a 4.39/4.0 GPA and from college at the University of Texas at Austin with a
3.96/4.0 unaudited GPA in Biology while also volunteering with various relief and
ministry organizations. He worked, interned and volunteered in medical facilities at
MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Neofluidics Laboratory in San Diego, and
Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. He also scored a 511 on his MCAT. He
believed he would be a good candidate for the Texas medical schools and for two
years applied to medical schools hoping to fulfill his dream and calling to become a
physician. Unfortunately, he was denied this opportunity while over 450 lesser quali-
fied minority students, ranging as low as a GPA of 2.82 or an MCAT of 495, were
offered admission. The schools to which Mr. Stewart applied included: Texas Tech
University Health Sciences Center; Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at
Austin; McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston; John Sealy School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch
at Galveston; Long School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science
38. The data reveal that the median and mean grade-point averages and MCAT
scores of admitted black and Hispanic students are significantly lower than the grade-
point averages and MCAT scores of admitted white and Asian students.
39. At UT-Austin (Dell), for example, the 75% percentile MCAT score for an
admitted black student was well below the 25% percentile MCAT score for an admit-
ted white or Asian student:
UT Austin (Dell), MCAT by race
525
520
MCAT
515
510
505
Figure 1. MCAT score by race. Boxes represent the inner-quartile-range (25th to 75th quantiles), and the solid
black line represents the median.
40. The data from UT-Austin (Dell) also show a statistically significant relation-
ship between a positive admissions decision and an applicant’s status as a female, black,
or Hispanic individual.
520
MCAT
510
500
Figure 1. MCAT score by race. Boxes represent the inner-quartile-range (25th to 75th quantiles), and the solid
black line represents the median.
Texas Tech, MCAT by gender
520
1
MCAT
510
500
Female Male
gender
520
Female
Male
510
• Admitted students are those with status variable equal to: “Offered from Waitlist and De-
clined”, “Matriculated”, “Admissions Offer Declined”, and “Withdraw after offer”.
Case 5:23-cv-00007-H Document 1 Filed 01/10/23 Page 12 of 24 PageID 12
• The total number of applicants with these admissions statuses equals 722.
• The following races were aggregated: “American Indian or Alaska Native” converted to “Ameri-
a can Indian”, significant
statistically “White” to “White/Caucasian”, “Hispanic,
relationship between Latino,
black or or of Spanish
Hispanic origin;”
status and converted
a positive
to “Hispanic/Latino”, and “Hispanic” converted to “Hispanic/Latino”.
admissions decision:
UT Houston (McGovern), MCAT by race
520
MCAT
510
500
520
MCAT
510
500
Female Male
gender
Figure 2. MCAT score by gender. Boxes represent the inner-quartile-range (25th to 75th quantiles), and the solid
black line represents the median.
520
Female
510
Male
consider the entire sample of both admitted and rejected students. We then fit a logistic regression
model for admission decision as a function of all available variables and discuss the results.
Case 5:23-cv-00007-H Document 1 Filed 01/10/23 Page 13 of 24 PageID 13
1. Admitted sample
• Admitted
44. Atstudents are thoseMedical
UT Galveston with status variable
Branch, equal
blacks andto:Hispanics
“Declined are
Admissions
likewise Offer”,
admit-“Of-
fered Admissions-Matriculated”, and “Offered Admissions-Deferred Accepted”.
ted with much lower MCAT scores than whites or Asians, and women are admitted
• The total number of applicants with these admissions statuses equals 1094.
with lower MCAT scores than men:
UT Galveston, MCAT by race
520
MCAT
510
500
African American American Indian Asian Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Hispanic Multiple Unreported White/Caucasian
race
UT Galveston, MCAT by gender
Figure 1. MCAT score by race. Boxes represent the inner-quartile-range (25th to 75th quantiles), and the solid
black line represents the median.
520
MCAT
1
510
500
Female Male
gender
520
gender
MCAT
Female
Male
510
- Page 13 of 24
1. Admitted sample
• Admitted
Case students are assumed
5:23-cv-00007-H to be1those
Document with
Filed status variable
01/10/23 Page equal
14 ofto:
24 “OA”, “OW”,
PageID 14and
“AD”.
• The total number of applicants with these admissions statuses equals 214.
46. The same is true at UT San Antonio (Long):
UT San Antonio, MCAT by race
525
520
MCAT
515
510
505
520
1
MCAT
515
510
505
Figure 2. MCAT score by gender. Boxes represent the inner-quartile-range (25th to 75th quantiles), and the solid
black line represents the median.
525
520
gender
MCAT
Female
Male
515
Decline to Answer
510
520
MCAT
510
500
African American American Indian Asian Hispanic Multiple Other Unreported White/Caucasian
race
1
520
MCAT
510
500
Female
Male
REDACTED
510
500
Case 5:23-cv-00007-H Document 1 Filed 01/10/23 Page 16 of 24 PageID 16
enforce prevent Mr. Stewart from competing on equal terms with other applicants for
admission to these medical schools because Mr. Stewart is a white male. This inflicts
injury in fact. See Gratz, 539 U.S. at 261; Jacksonville, 508 U.S. at 666.
52. This injury is caused by the defendants’ use of race and sex preferences in
student admissions, and it will be redressed by a declaratory judgment and injunction
that bars the defendants from considering or discriminating on account of race or sex
when admitting students to the medical schools.
CLASS-ACTION ALLEGATIONS
53. Mr. Stewart brings this class action under Rule 23(b)(2) of the federal rules
of civil procedure.
54. The class comprises all white and Asian men who stand “able and ready” to
apply for admission to any of these six medical schools.
55. The number of persons in the class makes joinder of the individual class
members impractical.
56. There are questions of law common to the class. All class members stand
able and ready to apply for admission to one or more of the six medical schools, yet
each will encounter discrimination on account of their race and sex unless the defend-
ants are enjoined from implementing their discriminatory admissions practices. The
common legal questions are whether the defendants’ discriminatory admissions poli-
cies violate Title VI, Title IX, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, or the Equal Protection Clause.
57. Mr. Stewart’s claims are typical of other members of the class. Each class
member will face the same type of race and sex discrimination — discrimination in
favor of blacks and Hispanics and against whites and Asians, and discrimination in
favor of women and against men — when they apply to any of the six medical schools.
58. Mr. Stewart adequately represents the interests of the class, and he has no
interests antagonistic to the class.
59. A class action is appropriate under Rule 23(b)(2) because the defendants
are acting on grounds that apply generally to the class, so that final injunctive relief or
corresponding declaratory relief is appropriate respecting the class as a whole.
in favor of female, black, and Hispanic applicants for admission and against whites,
Asians, and men.
61. Each of the six medical schools to which Mr. Stewart intends to apply is a
“program or activity” that “receives Federal financial assistance” within the meaning
of Title VI and Title IX.
62. Mr. Stewart therefore seeks declaratory and injunctive relief that prohibits
the defendants from considering or discriminating on account of race and sex in any
way in student admissions, and that compels the defendants to select applicants for
admission in a color-blind and sex-neutral manner.
63. Mr. Stewart seeks this relief under Title VI, Title IX, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and
any other law that might supply a cause of action for the requested relief.
64. Mr. Stewart seeks this relief against each of the named defendants, including
the institutional defendants.
65. The text of Title VI makes no exceptions for “compelling state interests,”
“student-body diversity,” or race-based affirmative-action programs. It prohibits all
forms of racial discrimination at institutions that receive federal funds — regardless of
67. If the Court concludes that Grutter’s interpretation of the Equal Protection
Clause should somehow control the interpretation of Title VI and Title IX, the de-
70. 42 U.S.C. § 1981(a) protects whites (and Asians) on the same terms that it
protects “underrepresented” racial minorities. See McDonald v. Santa Fe Trail Trans-
portation Co., 427 U.S. 273, 295 (1976) (“[T]he Act was meant, by its broad terms,
to proscribe discrimination in the making or enforcement of contracts against, or in
favor of, any race.”).
71. The individual defendants are violating 42 U.S.C. § 1981(a) by discriminat-
ing in favor of blacks and Hispanics in student admissions, and against whites and
Asians.
72. Mr. Stewart therefore seeks declaratory and injunctive relief that prohibits
the individual defendants from considering or discriminating on account of race in
any way in student admissions, and that compels the defendants to select applicants
for admission in a color-blind and race-neutral manner.
73. Mr. Stewart seeks this relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, as well as the implied
right of action that the Supreme Court has recognized to enforce 42 U.S.C.
§ 1981(a), and any other law that might supply a cause of action for the requested
relief. See Johnson v. Railway Express Agency, Inc., 421 U.S. 454, 459–60 (1975).
74. Mr. Stewart seeks this relief only against the individual defendants, and not
against the institutional defendants, as 42 U.S.C. § 1981 neither abrogates nor waives
a state institution’s sovereign immunity from suit. See Sessions v. Rusk State Hospital,
648 F.2d 1066 (5th Cir. 1981) (“Section 1981 contains no congressional waiver of
the state’s eleventh amendment immunity.”).
75. The text of 42 U.S.C. § 1981(a) makes no exceptions for “compelling state
interests,” “student-body diversity,” or race-based affirmative-action programs. It pro-
hibits all forms of racial discrimination in contracting — regardless of whether that
racial discrimination is independently prohibited by the Equal Protection Clause.
76. If the Court concludes that Grutter’s interpretation of the Equal Protection
Clause should somehow control the interpretation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981(a), the de-
79. The Supreme Court has held that the Equal Protection Clause prohibits
race and sex discrimination by state universities in all but the most compelling situa-
tions. See Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003); United States v. Virginia, 518
U.S. 515, 531 (1996) (“Parties who seek to defend gender-based government action
must demonstrate an ‘exceedingly persuasive justification’ for that action.”).
80. The medical schools’ affirmative-action programs are incompatible with
Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003), and Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin,
579 U.S. 365 (2016), because: (1) They are not limited in time, see Grutter v. Bol-
linger, 539 U.S. 306, 342 (2003) (“[R]ace-conscious admissions policies must be
limited in time”); id. at 351 (Thomas, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part)
(“I agree with the Court’s holding that racial discrimination in higher education ad-
missions will be illegal in 25 years.”); (2) The defendants failed to adequately consider
race- and sex-neutral alternatives to achieve diversity, see Grutter, 539 U.S. 306, 339
(2003) (“Narrow tailoring . . . require[s] serious, good faith consideration of worka-
ble race-neutral alternatives that will achieve the diversity the university seeks.”); (3)
The defendants are using quotas and racial balancing to ensure a minimum number
of black and Hispanic matriculants, see Grutter, 539 U.S. at 328 (“[A] race-conscious
admissions program cannot use a quota system”); id. at 330 (“[O]utright racial bal-
ancing . . . is patently unconstitutional”); and (4) The defendants’ use of race and sex
preferences are not narrowly tailored to advance the supposedly “compelling” interest
of student-body diversity.
82. And if the Court somehow concludes that the medical schools’ affirmative-
action programs are allowable under Grutter and Fisher, then Mr. Stewart will respect-
Respectfully submitted.
Table A-18: MCAT Scores and GPAs for Applicants and Matriculants to U.S. MD-Granting Medical Schools by Race/Ethnicity, 2022-2023
2022
The table below displays the MCAT scores, GPAs, and self-identified racial and ethnic characteristics of applicants and matriculants to U.S. MD-granting medical schools from 2022-2023. MCAT scores and GPAs are displayed by mean and standard
deviation (SD). The "Multiple Race/Ethnicity" category includes those who selected more than one race/ethnicity response. Please email datarequest@aamc.org if you need further assistance or have additional inquiries.
Non-U.S. Citizen and
American Indian Black or Hispanic, Latino, or Native Hawaiian or Multiple Unknown
Matriculants Asian White Other Non-Permanent Total
or Alaska Native African American of Spanish Origin Other Pacific Islander Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity
Resident
MCAT CPBS Mean 125.7 128.8 126.1 126.4 126.9 128.0 127.9 127.7 128.2 128.4 127.9
SD 2.5 2.0 2.1 2.2 1.7 2.1 1.9 2.2 2.1 2.2 2.2
MCAT CARS Mean 125.6 127.3 125.3 125.2 126.2 127.4 126.4 126.9 127.4 126.6 127.0
SD 2.4 2.2 2.3 2.6 1.7 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.1 2.5 2.4
MCAT BBLS Mean 126.3 128.9 126.5 126.9 127.3 128.3 128.4 128.0 128.6 128.7 128.2
SD 1.9 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.0 2.0 2.1 1.9 2.1 2.1
MCAT PSBB Mean 127.3 129.5 127.6 127.6 128.4 129.0 129.0 128.7 129.2 129.1 128.9
SD 2.4 1.8 2.1 2.4 1.8 1.9 1.8 2.0 1.8 2.0 2.0
Total MCAT Mean 504.9 514.4 505.7 506.1 508.9 512.6 511.7 511.2 513.4 512.8 511.9
SD 6.7 6.0 6.4 7.3 5.9 5.9 5.9 6.5 5.9 6.9 6.7
GPA Science Mean 3.40 3.75 3.42 3.52 3.59 3.73 3.71 3.63 3.73 3.76 3.68
SD 0.48 0.26 0.41 0.35 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.32 0.26 0.25 0.31
GPA Non-Science Mean 3.75 3.87 3.71 3.76 3.85 3.86 3.86 3.82 3.85 3.86 3.84
SD 0.28 0.17 0.28 0.25 0.12 0.19 0.17 0.21 0.20 0.18 0.21
GPA Total Mean 3.56 3.80 3.55 3.62 3.69 3.79 3.78 3.71 3.78 3.80 3.75
SD 0.36 0.20 0.32 0.28 0.24 0.22 0.21 0.25 0.22 0.20 0.24
Total Matriculants 37 5,604 1,856 1,444 22 9,599 496 2,698 642 314 22,712
Notes: The means and SDs of MCAT scores are calculated based on data from applicants who applied with MCAT scores. In recent years, approximately 98% of individuals submitted MCAT scores in their applications. In 2022, 53,762 applicants and
22,011 matriculants were included in the calculations; only the most recent MCAT score is used for individuals who took the exam more than once. The means and SDs of UGPA are calculated based on applicants with available GPA data. In 2022,
54,969 applicants and 22,562 matriculants were included in the calculations.
Each academic year includes applicants and matriculants that applied to enter medical school in the fall of the given year. For example, academic year 2022-2023 represents the applicants and matriculants that applied to enter medical school during
the 2022 application cycle.
ADMISSIONS
Galveston, Texas
Revised 9/27/2022
1
Case 5:23-cv-00007-H Document 1-2 Filed 01/10/23 Page 2 of 2 PageID 27
and state and local requirements regarding students and applicants with disabilities.
Under these laws, no qualified individual with a disability shall be denied access to or
participation in services, programs, and activities of UTMB-Galveston, solely on the basis
of the disability.
Diversity Categories
In accordance with the University of Texas Medical Branch Vision, Mission, Values
Statement, the John Sealy School of Medicine Admissions Committee is committed to
"educating and inspiring skilled physicians and scientists who are dedicated to lifelong
learning and reflect the diversity of the people who we serve." Therefore, the AC will
intentionally recruit and select a class whose racial and socioeconomic demographics
are representative of Texas residents. Utilizing a holistic approach, the committee will
seek to admit qualified underrepresented in medicine (URM) and economically
disadvantaged applicants. Based on the ethnographic and socioeconomic makeup of
the Houston-Galveston Metropolitan Area, the John Sealy School of Medicine
Admissions Committee will support pipeline programs and partnerships explicitly
focused on increasing Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and economically
disadvantaged applicants' matriculation to medical school.
Any applicant whose TMDSAS application Race or Ethnicity is American Indian, Alaska
Native, Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander will be
classified as a URM per TMDSAS. Any applicant designated as Disadvantaged A or B
on their TMDSAS application will be deemed economically disadvantaged. The
designations are based on parental education level and income, household size,
residential asset value and descriptors of the applicant's hometown (rural, inner city).
All accepted applicants must meet the minimum required technical standards and
essential functions. All accepted applicants must electronically sign this document thru
the mySTAR portal. If accepted applicants have a documented disability or would like to
obtain information regarding services for students with disabilities at UTMB, they may
contact the Institutional ADA Officer.
Utilizing holistic admissions practices, committee members must consider aspects such
as the recommendation of the health professions advisor or advisory committee,
personal attributes, academic profile, undergraduate coursework, grades, and MCAT
scores. Academic and non-academic factors are of equal importance. Particular
consideration is given to the applicant’s maturity, motivation, and intellectual curiosity as