Colleges and universities first started Affirmative Action in their admissions processes during the Civil Rights Movement. This means that colleges and universities would use race as a factor to aid their decision when admitting students. Affirmative Action was created to allow people who were historically disadvantaged the opportunity to receive the education they deserved. This has always been a controversial topic, as some say that it’s an unfair advantage given to minorities. Many say that the practice is taking spots away from other “more capable” applicants, but others argue that Affirmative Action provides equity in college access, as it has helped many deserving students actually get into college.
There weren’t many rules that restricted Affirmative Action in college admissions until the 1978 case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. In the case, the Supreme Court declared the use of quota systems to be unconstitutional due to the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This means that colleges can’t have a specific amount of students set aside for certain races. For example, a college can’t guarantee 250 out of 500 spots for students of color. However, colleges could still use race as a factor in the admissions process.
That was until June of 2023, when the Supreme Court ruled against Affirmative Action and stated that race-conscious admissions violate the United States Constitution. While this means that colleges can no longer view race as a factor in admissions, they can still recruit with variety in mind. Many top colleges and universities have even stated that they won’t let this affect their admissions process and will continue to recruit a diversified population. However, it has already been shown that in states like California, Texas, and Florida, where Affirmative Action has already been banned, minority enrollment numbers have declined.
The essay portion of the admissions process will become more important than ever since nothing prevents students from explaining how they can contribute towards diversifying a college campus. We will follow other effects as the upcoming application seasons progress.
Donna Baines • Sep 22, 2023 at 2:15 am
Fantastic reporting on such an important topic. We know that this ruling directly impacts young people of color. We are counting on the younger generations to keep standing up for what’s right and fighting for equal opportunities.
Mary ortner • Sep 21, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Good article. I did not know a lot of the details you explained. It’s a interesting topic. And timely for sure!