Iowa Supreme Court Keeps Scholarship Race Terms Under Review
Iowa Supreme Court said lawsuit on modifying Black student scholarship terms continues.
Why it matters: This ruling affects how universities and legal teams approach race-based scholarships amid shifting legal standards, especially after the Harvard admissions ruling.
- Dr. Ezra L. Totton, a Black chemist educated during Jim Crow, endowed a scholarship for Black physical science students.
- University of Iowa administered the scholarship for nearly 30 years exclusively to Black chemistry students.
- After the Supreme Court barred race-based admissions in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, the university sought to rename recipients as first-generation students.
- Iowa Supreme Court reversed dismissal of the university's scholarship modification application, sending the case back for more review and stakeholder involvement.
Dr. Ezra L. Totton, born in 1908 and a 1935 Knoxville College graduate, created a fund to support Black students in physical sciences, preferably chemistry, at the University of Iowa. For almost three decades, the university awarded this scholarship solely to Black students in chemistry.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, which prohibited race-based admissions policies, the University of Iowa petitioned to modify the scholarship's terms to reward first-generation students rather than Black students.
The Iowa Supreme Court, in a June 5, 2026 ruling, overturned the district court's dismissal of the university's request. The court noted that due to the recent legal environment and the SFFA decision, it is "at least impracticable for the university to distribute the scholarship funds under the race-based restriction." The case was returned for further proceedings to explore alternate modifications and to include advocates concerned with the donor's original intent.
This decision highlights the complex balance educational institutions must maintain between respecting charitable trust donor intent and adhering to evolving anti-discrimination legal standards. It also underscores the continued legal scrutiny over race-based criteria in scholarships post-SFFA.
While how the university will ultimately adjust the scholarship remains uncertain, the ruling ensures the dispute's legal questions will be fully examined before any final change.
By the numbers:
- 1935 — Year Dr. Ezra L. Totton graduated from Knoxville College
- Nearly 30 years — Duration University of Iowa administered the scholarship exclusively to Black students
- June 5, 2026 — Date of the Iowa Supreme Court decision keeping the lawsuit alive
Yes, but: The ruling does not resolve if or how the scholarship terms may be modified but requires further court examination and stakeholder input.
What's next: The district court will conduct further proceedings considering modifications and advocate participation to align with donor intent and legal requirements.