Colleges amend race-focused initiatives due to potential legal ramifications
In the wake of the June 2023 Supreme Court decision in *Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard*, race-based admissions and pipeline programs in American education are undergoing significant changes.
The ruling, which saw a 6–2 vote in Harvard’s case and 6–3 in UNC’s, declared race-based admissions at civilian universities unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause. However, an exception remains for military academies, with the U.S. Naval Academy's race-based admissions upheld based on a compelling interest in national security and creating a diverse officer corps.
The decision has led to a notable backlash from conservative groups, who are pushing for reduced or eliminated race-based support programs and race-related curriculum content. This backlash has manifested in conservative-led initiatives and opt-out policies, though the status of specific pipeline programs varies widely by state and institution.
As a result, universities and programs are adjusting to comply with the Court’s directive and the shifting political climate. Race-based admissions at civilian universities are no longer permitted in their traditional form, but universities can still consider race in the context of an applicant’s personal experiences affecting character or unique abilities.
This change is affecting students like Jocelyn Ricard, a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford School of Medicine, who credits the University of Minnesota's Multicultural Summer Research Opportunities Program (MSROP) for introducing her to research. Ricard's research focuses on substance-use disorders and how inequity and disadvantage affect brain function.
Similarly, Chris Molina, a senior and first-generation student, found guidance and success through the Latinx On The Rise Mentoring Program, which matches Hispanic students with professionals despite pressure from conservative groups. Molina's success in a corporate internship at Sam’s Club demonstrates the value of such mentoring programs.
However, programs like MSROP and the Latinx On The Rise Mentoring Program are facing challenges following the Supreme Court decision and a wave of state laws curbing campus diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Creando Comunidad: Community Engaged Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Fellows program, for example, removed the explicitly BIPOC aspect after a complaint from the Equal Protection Project.
Research suggests that race-based support and pipeline programs do increase the entry and persistence of underrepresented students into certain fields, especially STEM. Despite this, some schools are embracing experiences or identities such as "low-income," "first-generation" and "veteran" instead of racial, ethnic, and gender labels.
Derek W. Black, professor of law at the University of South Carolina, believes that colleges may be unnecessarily halting or altering diversity, equity, and inclusion offerings in response to the Supreme Court ruling. The issue turns on the specifics of how programs frame their purpose and admit students, according to Black.
As the landscape of American education continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how universities and programs will adapt to the changing legal and political environment while continuing to support underrepresented students.
- Despite the Supreme Court ruling making race-based admissions unconstitutional at civilian universities, programs like the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Creando Comunidad: Community Engaged Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Fellows program are facing challenges and altering their focus amidst state laws curbing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
- Research indicates that race-based support and pipeline programs, such as the University of Minnesota's Multicultural Summer Research Opportunities Program (MSROP) and the Latinx On The Rise Mentoring Program, contribute to the entry and persistence of underrepresented students, particularly in STEM fields.
- In the face of increasing political pressure to eliminate race-based support programs, colleges and universities are exploring alternatives that highlight experiences or identities like "low-income," "first-generation," and "veteran" rather than racial, ethnic, or gender labels, amid concerns of overly limiting diversity initiatives.
