The Department of Education is broadening its investigation into a complaint filed by an applicant to Princeton University who was denied admission, Princeton officials announced this week.

Princeton will provide information to the department’s Office for Civil Rights on the admissions procedures used to admit the class of 2010, the university said in a statement. Previously, federal officials had focused primarily on the decision-making process involved in the rejection of the student who filed the complaint, Jian Li.

The federal investigation began in 2006 when Li claimed that Princeton rejected him because of his race and Asian national origin. He said the university sets caps on the number of students it accepts from certain racial groups.

Princeton officials again denied that any discrimination occurred against Li.

Li, who was rejected from Harvard, Stanford, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania in addition to Princeton, enrolled at Yale but has since transferred to Harvard.

Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Jeff Brenzel declined to comment.

For an earlier story on Jian Li’s suit, visit this story: Anti-Asian bias alleged (11.15.06)