UPDATE 3/8/24: The Office of Academic Programs stated to Daily Trojan that they make "occasional changes" to their programs to benefit "the largest number of students". According to the Daily Trojan: "Academic Honors and Fellowships does not plan to send a communitywide announcement regarding the change...because AAA was 'only granted to a small portion of the whole student body'". The office later stated that less than 2% of undergrads qualify for AAA each year. 

In short, USC admits that they targeted a program that affects a lower-income minority of the student body -- and some of the most academically outstanding. How can USC continue to preach about equity and inclusion when they discriminate against students in need of financial aid that work SO HARD to be able to qualify for this excellence scholarship?