U.S. Supreme Court Rules Against Affirmative Action in Higher Education, Here’s What You Need to Know
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down on affirmative action in colleges and universities last Thursday, forcing institutions of higher education to find new ways to diversify their student bodies. The decision overturns decades of precedent, marking a long-time goal of conservative activists who find that race-conscious decisions violate the Equal Protection Clause under the Constitution and should not be a factor in college admissions,
The court heard from the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, two of the oldest institutions of higher education in the U.S. The historic vote comes from a 6-3 majority in the UNC case and 6-2 in the Harvard case, where Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was recused. The court issued that race will no longer be a factor of consideration in college admissions, effectively ending affirmative action in the college admissions process.
When will this go into effect?
Rising high school seniors are expected to be the first ones to see these changes when they begin applying to colleges, as colleges begin to remove race from admission practices. It’s expected the application process may include a few more short-answer questions, but the behind-the-scenes admissions process is expected to change drastically.
What does this mean for future college admissions?
President Joe Biden said he “strongly, strongly disagrees with the court’s decision,” during his press conference at the White House, calling for colleges to remain committed to diverse student bodies representative of America. He proposes a new standard, considering the adversity that qualified applicants face, giving advantage to those who have overcome hardships in income and race.
The Biden-Harris administration plans to aid colleges in navigating a new process on how to reflect diversity in their student population through supporting and developing strategies for colleges and students to increase access to opportunities in higher education.
Will this effect legacy admissions?
It is unclear whether colleges will be reevaluating legacy admissions, but are being called to do so. Members of Congress and student activists are saying to abandon the practice as it disproportionately benefits White students of high-income, arguing that it acts as a barrier for underrepresented students when applying to colleges.
What are colleges saying?
Many college and universities are sending messages to students, stating their unwavering commitment to a diverse student population and will work on new ways to keep diversity alive on campus.
In a letter from New York University’s Office of the President, University president Andrew Hamilton said he views the court’s decision “as a step backwards” but pledges the University will take time to “thoughtfully prepare” on how to move forward from the decision and remain transparent with the community.