Harvard University has instructed its volunteer alumni interviewers to exclude any mention of an applicant's race, ethnicity, national origin, or religious affiliation from written interview reports this admissions cycle. The university clarified that any report containing such information will be disregarded, according to a recording and a new alumni-interviewer handbook obtained by The Harvard Crimson.
The guidance was delivered during training sessions held this autumn. Admissions officials advised interviewers that references to languages spoken at home, countries of origin, or named affinity groups could result in the evaluation being removed from an applicant's file. In some cases, this could even lead to the assignment of a second interviewer to ensure compliance.
