The Supreme Court’s Landmark Decision on Affirmative Action in College Admissions: Implications and Alternative Strategies
The United States Supreme Court has recently issued a significant opinion that has major implications for colleges and universities' admissions practices regarding racial diversity. The Court's decision states that the race-related admissions policies of Harvard and the University of North Carolina are unconstitutional.[0] This ruling marks a departure from four decades of precedent on the use of race in college admissions and could have far-reaching consequences for the country's approach to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment.[1]
The concept of affirmative action has been used by colleges and universities for over 50 years as a means to encourage the participation of historically marginalized groups and address the effects of segregation.[2] The Supreme Court has previously upheld affirmative action as a tool to foster diversity among student bodies, allowing race or ethnic background to be considered as a factor in admissions decisions. However, the Court's recent decision challenges this precedent and limits the use of race-conscious admissions policies.
The Court's conservative majority argued that considering race in admissions violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.[3] Chief Justice John Roberts, writing the majority opinion, stated that while race could still be a factor in admissions, it must be one among many and cannot be the sole determining factor.[1] This ruling reflects a shift in the Court's composition, with six conservative justices forming the majority and Chief Justice Roberts expressing a preference for race-neutral admissions policies.[2]
Justice Sonia Sotomayor provided a dissenting opinion, arguing that the equal protection clause guarantees racial equality and that race-conscious measures can be used to address historical inequalities.[4] She criticized the majority's decision as rolling back decades of progress and reiterated that race remains relevant in society despite being deemed irrelevant in law.
The decision's impact on diversity in higher education remains uncertain. Some argue that affirmative action has not been successful in significantly improving the representation of disadvantaged minorities in elite universities. They point to statistics showing that underrepresented minority students make up a smaller proportion of college entrants compared to their representation in the overall population. However, others argue that affirmative action has been a crucial tool in promoting diversity and that the Court's decision will further widen the gap in representation.[2]
California serves as a case study for the effects of banning affirmative action.[2] In 1996, the state passed Proposition 209, which prohibited the consideration of race in admissions.[5] Since then, the University of California system has used a comprehensive review process that evaluates applicants based on multiple factors.[5] While this approach has resulted in some strategies to increase student diversity, the impact of the affirmative action ban is evident in the decline of underrepresented minority enrollments.
Despite the Court's decision, there are still ways to mitigate the potential damage to diversity in higher education. States that currently ban affirmative action, like California, can provide a playbook for alternative strategies.[6] These strategies may include focusing on retention through mentorship programs and affinity groups for students of color and finding creative ways to increase diversity within the constraints of race-neutral admissions policies.[6]
In conclusion, the Supreme Court's recent decision on race-conscious admissions policies has significant implications for colleges and universities. The ruling challenges decades of precedent and limits the use of race as a factor in admissions decisions. While the impact on diversity remains uncertain, there are opportunities for states to explore alternative strategies to promote racial diversity in higher education. As the debate over affirmative action continues, it is crucial to consider the goal of achieving equal protection under the law while addressing historical injustices and promoting diversity on college campuses.[3]
0. “UVA President Jim Ryan, Provost Ian Baucom Respond to US Supreme Court's Affirmative Action Opinion” UVA Today, 29 Jun. 2023, https://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-president-jim-ryan-provost-ian-baucom-respond-us-supreme-courts-affirmative-action
1. “The Decision That Upends the Equal-Protection Clause” The Atlantic, 29 Jun. 2023, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/scotus-affirmative-action-ruling-implications/674567
2. “What is affirmative action? The SCOTUS decision affecting college admissions, explained” Vox.com, 30 Oct. 2022, https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/23405267/affirmative-action-supreme-court-ruling-race-harvard-unc-chapel-hill
3. “Supreme Court affirmative action decision in UNC college admissions case elicits strong reactions” WTVD-TV, 29 Jun. 2023, https://abc11.com/unc-admissions-supreme-court-affirmative-action-ruling-scotus/13440517/
4. “Here's how each Supreme Court justice voted to decide the affirmative action cases” CBS News, 29 Jun. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-supreme-court-justices-voted-affirmative-action-cases-decisions
5. “UC statement on SCOTUS decision regarding the use of race in college admissions” University of California, 29 Jun. 2023, https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-statement-scotus-decision-regarding-use-race-college-admissions
6. “SCOTUS' Affirmative Action Decision Fails the AAPI Community” TIME, 29 Jun. 2023, https://time.com/6288939/supreme-court-affirmative-action-aapi-community
