This story has been updated with new information. He says the promise of proximity to whiteness and power has been used as part of a larger trend radicalizing Asian Americans on the right. But with this ruling, legacy admissions is really going to start not having much of a factor in admissions.. This was a deliberate switch in strategy, says Ian Haney Lpez, a race and constitutional law scholar at Berkeley. But the decision was made and now we have to figure out how we're going to move forward from here.. The terms can be confusing, especially for international students. The Supreme Court has heard several race-conscious admissions cases since Bakke, including the most recent involving Harvard and UNC. That could happen, but it doesnt have to. But Republicans were far more likely than Democrats to express this view (90% vs. 62%). But according to her research, affirmative action is not the source of that racism. The use of racial quotas, in which colleges reserve a designated number of spots for students based on their race and admit them exclusively on that basis, was ruled unconstitutional in the 1978 Supreme Court case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. Please tell us why you value it, and what you think you bring to the Mount Holyoke community in terms of diversity.. Critics have argued that race-conscious admissions amounts to racial discrimination, harming white and Asian American students. Jose Luis Magana/AP Many schools have been planning for the Supreme Courts decision for months, if not years, and have already made some moves toward race-neutral admissions. (This was before California's 1996 ban on affirmative action created a steep drop off in Black and Latino students on University of California campuses). How do Americans feel about affirmative action? Were assuming that every single person above the line can be successful at the school, Dr. Richardson said. People walk through the gate on Harvard Yard at the Harvard University campus on June 29, 2023 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ", Schools may also reevaluate legacy admissions policies, which give preference to the children of alumni and donors, and therefore advantage students who already come from advantaged backgrounds. "Particularly at these very selective colleges, like UNC and Harvard, among the pool of highly accomplished young people, (race) can be something that kind of tips someone into the admit pile," says Natasha Warikoo, Lenore Stern Professor in the Humanities and Social Sciences in the Department of Sociology at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Supreme Court guts affirmative action in college admissions ", Students protest outside the meeting of the University of California's Board of Regents in favor of Affirmative Action. Why race-based affirmative action is still needed in college admissions. David Butow/Corbis via Getty Images Another 28% said it is neither good nor bad. Ms. Holley, the incoming Mount Holyoke president, imagined a question that would say something like: One of the core values of Mount Holyoke College is diversity of all kinds. Educators worry about how they will continue to bring in a racially diverse student body and how to pay for the costly measures to do so now that it is illegal to consider race in admissions decisions. Whether it is affirmative action in college admissions, banning books in elementary schools, the demonization of critical race theory or the pushback against A.P. Students should tailor their admissions essays to describe how race had affected their lives, saidShannon Gundy, an admissions official at the University of Maryland, in a recent presentation sponsored by the American Council on Education. We remain vigilant and intend to initiate litigation should universities defiantly flout this clear ruling, he wrote in a statement on Thursday. Poon acknowledges affirmative action was always an incomplete solution a band aid over systemic racism that never addressed systemic causes. Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to approve of colleges and employers considering race and ethnicity. With the Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious affirmative action, the college admissions process is about to change for everyone. Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report. "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others," Cao said, to a smattering of laughter. "It's really tapping into fear with zero evidence.". He helped orchestrate Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court ruling that rolled back voting rights, making it harder for ethnic minorities to vote. Even in liberal California, the public has voted twice to prohibit affirmative action. Md. The downside is that a lottery takes away that almost magical sense of being chosen by a hidden power, a greater wisdom, the very syndrome it is supposed to combat, she concedes. Consider Faculty Diversity When Applying to College. Experts and activists like Jeff Chang and OiYan Poon say contrary to Blum's claims, it is very clear who dismantling affirmative action will advantage those who've always been "more equal" in American education, people with access to wealth and privilege. But recruiting was expensive; the price was in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and the top campus, Berkeley, is still struggling to catch up. In the survey, 56% of workers said that, in general, focusing on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion at work is mainly a good thing, while far fewer (16%) said it is a bad thing. Universities, including Harvard and U.N.C., said on Thursday that they would comply with the ruling. July 8, 2023. Students protest outside the meeting of the University of California's Board of Regents in favor of Affirmative Action. Supreme Court guts affirmative action, effectively ending race-conscious admissions. Colleges have had a long time to prepare for the Supreme Court decision. But the missing word coalition is a key one. And they have already made moves toward a race-neutral admissions era one that tries to follow the letter of the law, while finding ways to keep the ethos of affirmative action. "It's unclear who this is going to advantage," he said of his successful quest to end affirmative action. Fisher was an innocent victim unfairly losing out to people of color. school apologizes after video shows White students singing n-word, Perspective: Navigating the wilderness, avoiding predators urban and rural, Teacher quits in protest after being punished for banned-books sign, BYU says probe found no evidence of racial slurs at Duke volleyball player. History behind race-based college admissions practices the Supreme Court overruled By Emily Mae Czachor June 29, 2023 / 5:07 PM / CBS News Some of them will be obvious, including immediate changes. Among other factors, admission preferences for legacies children of alumni are widely used, with 787 colleges and universities reporting in 2020 that they provided these applicant preferences, according to a fall 2022 report by Education Reform Now, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank. making it harder for ethnic minorities to vote, Here's what happened when affirmative action ended at California public colleges, With affirmative action gutted for college, race-conscious work programs may be next, a poster child for Asian students against affirmative action, Here's what happened after California banned affirmative action 25 years ago. Demonstrators protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cannot be a factor. Students could say that they are special still because they are above the line.. We don't want it divided," he says. |, Culture wars: Mom says trans eighth-grader was questioned by Texas officials at school | Floridas largest school system blocks LGBTQ History Month declaration | Trust in teachers is plunging amid a culture war in education, Virginias fight over schools: Youngkin criticizes trans rules, eases path to becoming a teacher in Va. | Judge thwarts Va. Republicans effort to limit book sales at Barnes & Noble | Virginia Board of Education delays review of history standards. Tags: colleges, education, students, college admissions, affirmative action, Supreme Court, Ask an Alum: Making the Most Out of College, Devon Haynie and Cole ClaybournJuly 10, 2023, Kelly Mae Ross and Anayat DurraniJuly 7, 2023. Common misunderstandings about the role and practice of affirmative action include: Not correct. Only a small portion of U.S. colleges have selective admissions, where race-conscious admissions can make a difference in who gets in. Universities have warned that getting rid of affirmative action would significantly impact the diversity of their student bodies, with Harvard arguing in court briefs that taking race out of its . The role of HBCUs in a post-affirmative action America. "It's not uncommon for people not of European descent to say, 'I'm gonna claim access to the white side of the color line.' Frequently asked questions | Video explainer, K-12: Md. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. He was introduced by the Houston Chinese Alliance's David Cao, who prefaced Blum's presentation with a quote from George Orwell's novella Animal Farm. "I needed Asian plaintiffs.". It would be something of a guided lottery, she says. Why we still need affirmative action in college admissions - The In a much-dreaded outcome, the right-wing justices on the Supreme Court have finally decided to end the use of race-conscious affirmative action programs in college and university admissions. Denise Somsak, Evendale, Ohio. When David Cao introduced Edward Blum to Asian Americans in Houston almost a decade ago, he quoted Orwell's famous line from Animal Farm, that all animals are equal, but some are more equal. What I like about the lottery admissions idea is that its more transparent, she said in an interview. Demonstrators protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cannot be a factor. Howard Blume covers education for the Los Angeles Times. But the court left open the possibility for schools to consider race as a factor in their admissions process, for the sake of campus diversity. They are commonly offered by nonprofits and governments and may lead to fewer job offers than paid internships. How much do extracurriculars count in an application? There's long been public skepticism of these policies, however. hide caption. Adam Schiff dominates rivals in fundraising for Californias U.S. Senate race. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide a high-profile case in the weeks ahead about the consideration of race and ethnicity in college admissions decisions. Jackson Urrutia-Andrews, Folsom, Calif. Thats a hard question to answer without a clearer picture of your entire application. But the band aid has been ripped off, and at least for now, advocates fear, there is nothing to stop the bleeding. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main What the Supreme Court's Affirmative Action Ban Means for College The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve . A 2019 study found almost half 43% of white students who got into Harvard did so because they have legacy connections, their parents have donated large sums of money, or they are student athletes often, as seen in the Varsity Blues scandal in very specific and expensive sports. "I've been pouring over the data for years," she says including the admissions data of Harvard before the court in one of the case that just ended affirmative action. The Supreme Court's landmark decision on Thursday to gut affirmative action has made it unlawful for colleges to take race into consideration as a specific factor in admissions. ", "Asians and African Americans and Latinos we live in the same community. Among those who had ever heard the term, 36% said affirmative action is a good thing, 29% said it is a bad thing and a third werent sure. The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. Chang's group was founded and filled with Asian American students and activists. In an attempt to ensure diversity on campus without affirmative action, some colleges chose to automatically admit a certain percentage often the top 10% of a high school's graduating class. White and Black adults were also more likely than Asian or Hispanic adults to have heard the phrase. The protests proved ultimately ineffective, partly because of pre-existing state voter initiatives. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, executive order that President John F. Kennedy signed in 1961, More Americans Disapprove Than Approve of Colleges Considering Race, Ethnicity in Admissions Decisions, Asian Americans Hold Mixed Views Around Affirmative Action., 62% majority of Americans favored such programs, February 2023 Center survey of employed Americans, Private, selective colleges are most likely to use race, ethnicity as a factor in admissions decisions, Americans and affirmative action: How the public sees the consideration of race in college admissions, hiring, Asian Americans Hold Mixed Views Around Affirmative Action, More Americans Disapprove Than Approve of Colleges Considering Race, Ethnicity in Admissions Decisions, Hispanic enrollment reaches new high at four-year colleges in the U.S., but affordability remains an obstacle, Republican Gains in 2022 Midterms Driven Mostly by Turnout Advantage, 5 facts about the QAnon conspiracy theories, Large Shares See Russia and Putin in Negative Light, While Views of Zelenskyy More Mixed, A record-high share of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married. Experts predict it will be harder for colleges to defend legacy admissions after the affirmative action ban. In each case, lower courts ruled against the plaintiff and upheld the systems the two universities use. It will be harder to diversify med student ranks and address underrepresentation of minority doctors, experts say. What are the cases against Harvard and UNC about? Berkeley sociologist who has studied college admissions. How does it factor into college admissions? One of the real movements you see from public universities is to be as apolitical as they possibly can, in red states and in blue states, said Gordon Gee, the president of West Virginia University. You want people who have different experiences than you. And in the decision, Justice Roberts specifically kept the door open to consider racial or ethnic background in someones lived experience. Here's some history on race-conscious admissions and what they could mean for colleges and applicants going forward. So nothing will change there except that there could be no future efforts to restore these preferences at the ballot box. But Poon says that doesn't describe a world with affirmative action; it better sums up our education system without it. Only about a third (32%) said its extremely or very important to them to work somewhere with a mix of employees of different races and ethnicities. She is also the author of the book Seven Days of Possibilities: One Teacher, 24 Kids, and the Music That Changed Their Lives Forever. More about Anemona Hartocollis, A version of this article appears in print on, What to Know About College Admissions Now That Affirmative Action Is Gone, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/us/affirmative-action-women-gender-gap.html. system overall admitted its most diverse class ever in 2021. So, she adds, I think thats why many schools probably wouldnt do it., Stephanie Saul is a national education reporter based in New York. What to Know About College Admissions After Affirmative Action Ruling That will no longer be possible. He worried that students at elite colleges failed to recognize that luck, not just hard work, went into their success. In this column, we explore five reasons to support affirmative action in college admissions. In the Supreme Court decision striking down racial and ethnic preferences in college admissions, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. had harsh words for Harvard and the University of North Carolina, calling their admissions process elusive," opaque and imponderable.. How is affirmative action used in college admissions? Some education officials have already discussed how to leverage the essay. Fisher claimed she didn't get into the University of Texas, Austin because of the color of her skin. "I think these policies do increase the racial and socioeconomic diversity of particularly the flagship institutions in a state," Meyer says. Duke University just promised full tuition grants to students from North and South Carolina with family incomes of $150,000 or less. What can truly set a student apart is dedication over a period of time, Ms. Mady-Grove said. Americans who had heard the phrase affirmative action in the Centers December survey were asked whether they saw it as a good or a bad thing. The Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Mass. For more detailed information about how Americans see the consideration of race and ethnicity in college admissions decisions, read our recent reports: More Americans Disapprove Than Approve of Colleges Considering Race, Ethnicity in Admissions Decisions and Asian Americans Hold Mixed Views Around Affirmative Action.. "There is a need for anti-bias training for specifically admissions readers that read Asian American student files," she says. How Americans view affirmative action in college admissions, hiring We asked readers to send us their questions about college admissions, and answered a few of them below. "There is really a thumb on the scale for people who have always had access to these spaces.". The risks are different for some public universities, like the University of North Carolina or the University of Virginia, which have already had run-ins with conservative politicians over diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Supreme Court reverses affirmative action, gutting race-conscious "They all told me that it's tougher to get in, especially as an Asian American. Admissions offices pivoted to a more. ACLU Share This Page October 31, 2022 After over a hundred years of total or near total exclusion of Black students and other students of color, the University of North Carolina and Harvard began admitting larger numbers of students, including students of color, in the 1960s and 70s. ", Still a combination of real feelings of racial marginalization paired with personal experiences of children and students not getting into a very few spots at a very elite college, helped Blum tap into a narrative that affirmative action was targeting Asian Americans; that they were "less equal.". Affirmative action in the United States - Wikipedia In a higher education context, affirmative action which stemmed from the civil rights movement in the 1960s is the practice of considering student background characteristics such as race as a factor in deciding whether to admit an applicant. That strategy, before a far right Supreme Court, would finally be a winning one for Blum. These elite schools do not reflect higher education as a whole: They account for just 3.4% of colleges and 4.1% of students. There is a common narrative that Black and Latino students who were admitted into schools like Harvard and University of North Carolina are not qualified, not ready to succeed in college. So far, most schools have resisted those entreaties, saying that these preferences build community and assist in fund-raising. "But when comparing them against the decline in socioeconomic and racial diversity that happens after affirmative action is banned in a state, they aren't able to overcome the loss in diversity from banning affirmative action.". Many campus leaders, bracing for this outcome, say robust recruitment and academic preparation programs in underserved communities of color could help bolster enrollment numbers. But according to the U.S. Department of Education in 2021, Black Harvard students had a 96% graduation rate the same graduation rate that male students of all races had. They use affirmative action to advance their missions valuing diversity and opportunity for students of all backgrounds. 06/29/2023 05:22 PM EDT. In that survey, 74% of U.S. adults said that, when making decisions about hiring and promotions, companies and organizations should take only a persons qualifications into account, even if it results in less diversity. Diversity Questions for Colleges: What to Ask. Jose Luis Magana/AP By Stephanie Saul and Anemona Hartocollis. [16] ", In the court's current opinion, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch concurred that "Harvard and UNC choose to treat some students worse than others in part because of race. ", This is affirmative action for the white and wealthy, Chen says. The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that will allow it to rule again on whether universities may consider race . The U.S. Supreme Court hearings on affirmative action this week highlighted widespread fears among Asian Americans that they face bias in selective college admissions. )Are there partisan differences on these issues? LGBTQ+ students should check to see if a school has out faculty and inclusive housing and bathrooms. school apologizes after video shows White students singing n-word | Perspective: Navigating the wilderness, avoiding predators urban and rural | Teacher quits in protest after being punished for banned-books sign, Higher ed: BYU says probe found no evidence of racial slurs at Duke volleyball player |Will college students show up to vote in November? Still, he turned to Blum's Student's for Fair Admissions for answers about the schools that had rejected him. "We cannot deny that," says Jeff Wang. In 2015 Edward Blum, the conservative activist behind the push to end affirmative action, stood in front of a group of a dozen or so mostly Chinese Americans in a conference room in Houston.