Antitrust Law Will Not Limit College Costs
Preview:
Once again, the U.S. Department of Justice has decided that colleges and universities are not exempt from antitrust law. This line of thinking, consistent among three U.S. presidential administrations, has also consistently missed the mark.
As we follow this long and winding path, we find that the latest misguided lawsuit was filed by former students of several selective universities (Duke, Northwestern and Vanderbilt Universities) who claim in a class action that their alma maters and 13 other universities illegally collaborated in setting financial aid awards. These universities are or were members of the 568 Presidents Group. The plaintiffs argue that while these institutions claim to have been allowed to work together (under the section 568 exemption to the antitrust laws in Improving America's Schools Act), the institutions did not meet the criteria for the exemption.
Originally published: July 25, 2022
Author: Catharine B. Hill
Position: Catherine B. Hill
Institution: Vassar College
Published by: Inside Higher Ed