An Alternative Approach to Affirmative Action
Preview:
On the inauspicious date of Oct. 31, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in cases challenging the race-conscious admissions policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Amici briefs supporting the continuation of these policies were recently submitted. Many of the latest briefs repeat arguments about the educational benefits of a diverse student body, originally articulated as a “compelling state interest” in the Bakke decision. Others, including a brief from the American Council on Education, support institutional autonomy and argue that colleges and universities should have the “freedom to decide on how to best bring together a student body that furthers the institution’s mission and goals.”
Originally published: October 10, 2022
Author: Catharine B. Hill
Position: President Emerita
Institution: Vassar College
Published by: Inside Higher Ed