In a significant setback for affirmative action policies, which are frequently used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic, and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday invalidated the race-conscious student admissions programmes currently in use at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.
The judges granted the appeal of lower court decisions upholding the two elite institutions’ initiatives to promote a diverse student body on behalf of Students for Fair Admissions, a group formed by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum.
The most recent significant decisions supported by the conservative majority of the Supreme Court were in the affirmative action cases. The 1973 Roe v. Wade judgement, which legalised abortion across the country and expanded gun rights, was overturned by the court in June 2022.
Harvard estimates that 40% of American schools and institutions take race into account in some way.
Harvard and UNC have claimed that limiting the consideration of race would result in a significant decrease in the enrollment of students from under-represented groups. These universities use race as just one factor in a variety of individualised evaluations for admission without quotas, which is permitted under prior Supreme Court precedents.
The controversy gave the conservative majority of the Supreme Court a chance to reverse earlier decisions that supported racial admissions policies.
Blum’s group charged UNC with discriminating against white and Asian American candidates in lawsuits filed in 2014 and Harvard with prejudice against Asian American applicants.
Harvard and UNC have claimed that limiting the consideration of race would result in a significant decrease in the enrollment of students from under-represented groups. These universities use race as just one factor in a variety of individualised evaluations for admission without quotas, which is permitted under prior Supreme Court precedents.
The controversy gave the conservative majority of the Supreme Court a chance to reverse earlier decisions that supported racial admissions policies.
Blum’s group charged UNC with discriminating against white and Asian American candidates in lawsuits filed in 2014 and Harvard with prejudice against Asian American applicants.
