WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – A federal agency has filed a lawsuit against the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) over allegations it "established and enforced illegal restraints" on the ways colleges can compete when it comes to recruiting students.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint Dec. 12 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the NACAC alleging violation of the Sherman Act.
The Department of Justice alleges the NACAC rules, which were removed in September by its members, pertaining to transfer students, early decision incentives and undergraduate recruiting were unlawful. It alleges the rules "substantially reduced competition among colleges for college applicants and potential transfer students and deprived these consumers of the benefits that result from colleges vigorously competing for students."
The Department of Justice seeks to enjoin the NACAC establishing similar rules in the future and monetary relief. It is represented by Ryan Struve, Travis Chapman, Aaron Comenetz, Eric Craig and Adrienne Hahn of the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division Technology and Financial Services Section in Washington, D.C.
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia case number 1:19-CV-03706