The Supreme Court’s landmark decision has made it unlawful for colleges to take race into consideration for admissions.
Affirmative Action refers to policies and measures that address historical and ongoing discrimination, promote equal opportunity, and increase representation of underrepresented groups in areas such as employment, education, and business. The goal is simple: create a more level playing field and provide opportunities for historically marginalized and disadvantaged groups.
Now, however, a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court has effectively eliminated Affirmative Action by declaring it unlawful for colleges to consider race as a specific factor in admissions. This decision has significant implications, particularly for institutions like Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, whose admissions programs were at the center of the case.
A Landmark Ruling
While the ruling will impact admissions policies that have traditionally benefited Black and Latino students, the Court's decision does allow colleges and universities to consider an applicant's discussion of how race has influenced their life, as long as it is directly linked to their "quality of character or unique ability" that they can bring to the institution. Chief Justice John Roberts, in the majority opinion, emphasized that applicants could still highlight in their essays how their heritage or culture has motivated them to assume leadership roles, for example. The key principle is that students should be evaluated based on their individual experiences rather than their race.
Dissenting Voices
However, dissenting justices, appointed by the Democratic Party, expressed concern that the ruling would practically prevent colleges and universities from considering race in admissions. Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued that the Court was imposing its own preferred college application format on the country and disregarding the reality that race plays a significant role in students' lives. She asserted that the ruling was a mere facade and not truly addressing the issue.
Other Factors Beyond Race Can Be Considered
It is important to note that although race can no longer be the sole factor considered in admissions, the ruling still permits colleges and universities to take into account other factors to promote diversity on campus. Sotomayor pointed out in her dissent that institutions can still consider applicants who speak multiple languages or those who would be the first in their family to attend college. These factors are deemed distinct from race and can contribute to achieving diversity.
Colleges Urged To Maintain Diverse Student Bodies
In response to the ruling, the Biden administration announced several plans to support colleges in their efforts to maintain diverse student bodies. These include releasing a report on strategies for enhancing diversity and educational opportunities and providing guidance to schools on permissible practices.
Will Vary State to State
It should be noted that the impact of this ruling will vary from state to state and institution to institution. The ruling does not affect the consideration of race by US military service academies in their admissions process. Additionally, depending on the state's policies, colleges and universities may attempt to explore alternative methods to foster diversity, even if they are not expressly endorsed by the majority opinion.
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