SCOTUS and SFFA v. Harvard/UNC
No sooner had the SCOTUS ruling on Affirmative Action in college admissions been announced that my inbox was inundated with messages from university and organizational Presidents.
I’m sharing as many of them as I can in a single Substack blog—without commentary or analysis (for now!)—so that you can read for yourself the initial responses from those who will be leading their institutions in the aftermath of this decision.
Stay tuned…
Dear Colleagues,
This morning at 8:30am, all nine members of the NEACAC Executive Board convened in person to kick off our annual retreat. At 10:00am, the U.S. Supreme Court released the opinion regarding race-conscious admissions practices in higher education and the room fell silent. Together we read through the opinion, listened to commentary online and reflected on the grave impacts of this decision on our association, our profession, and us personally.
It’s been a hard day. And yet, I could not let this day conclude without sending a message to you all letting you know that while we were not surprised by today’s opinion, we are disappointed with the ruling and its potential implications for diversity and inclusivity at our member institutions.
The ability to consider race in the admissions process has been a vital tool in addressing historical and systemic barriers faced by underrepresented communities. Creating diverse learning environments that foster understanding, cultural exchange and preparation for graduates to thrive in an increasingly global society has been a benefit to all students.
While there is still much to unpack and understand from this opinion, know that we are here for you, and let us reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that all students are seen, respected and welcomed at every school community.
NEACAC will be hosting an open Community Conversation on Thursday, July 6 from 3:00-3:45pm. Registration for that conversation can be found here. Immediately following that meeting, we will open an affinity space for our BIPOC community members. Please join the BIPOC affinity space here. It’s of utmost importance to me, and the Executive Board, that all of our members have a safe space to discuss and express their emotions related to today’s news.
Additionally, NACAC will be hosting a webinar on July 19th with colleagues from NASFAA and AACRAO. This conversation will provide more insight into the implications for institutional enrollment policy and practice. More information about this opportunity and the RSVP link for NACAC Members can be found here.
As more information becomes available, we will be sure to keep you informed. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is programming or discussion that you would like to see NEACAC offer, I’m here to listen.
Best,
Diane Soboski
NEACAC President
Dear Colleague,
The US Supreme Court handed down its opinion this morning in Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina—the two cases concerning race-conscious admissions policies.
The opinion is quite lengthy, and it will take some time to fully understand its ramifications. Even so, it is clear and deeply disappointing that the court overturned more than forty years of precedent that has enhanced diversity in campus communities. President-elect Safa Zaki and I have discussed these cases, and we share the view that today’s decision undermines the essential work to create an educational environment and experience that prepares students for the diverse worlds of work and of informed political and social engagement. We also believe the decision undermines the long-term effort to recognize and respond to the structural obstacles for those in our society who have faced the most profound barriers to opportunity.
The College will, of course, review the court’s opinion with great care and comply with its mandates. At the same time, and as I wrote [to the Bowdoin community] last August, “whatever the outcome and no matter how challenging the work, [Bowdoin] will never back away from our commitment to build and sustain a truly diverse community where everyone has the opportunity for an equitable experience and an enduring sense of belonging.”
Sincerely,
President Clayton Rose
Dear Colleague
As many of you know, today’s ruling by the Supreme Court has decided that Harvard and UNC’s admissions programs violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
We are immensely disappointed by this ruling.
Though we do not agree with this decision, we have a legal obligation to comply. Within that context, Babson remains undeterred. We have been working tirelessly to ensure that our admissions processes remain holistic and reflective of our institutional values and will continue to uphold our unwavering commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our student body and across all communities. These strategic imperatives remain at the core of our mission, vision, and values.
As a global institution, Babson knows that all students benefit from a diverse student body. We have seen firsthand that learning in an environment among students who have different backgrounds and lived experiences fosters stronger critical thinking skills, empathy, and overall knowledge and understanding. Diverse perspectives and ideas are critical to innovation and at the forefront of our curriculum and our signature approach to Entrepreneurial Thought and Action®. Differing points of view and experiences also better prepare students to succeed in the multicultural society beyond their time at Babson College.
Our mission, to prepare and empower a diverse array of entrepreneurial leaders to create sustainable economic and social value everywhere, is one of our greatest strengths. We will continue to prioritize access, opportunity, and belonging for people from every background who are interested in learning and growing at Babson. We will continue to use a holistic admissions model that involves academic, nonacademic, and contextual considerations to evaluate the student as a whole person. And, we will proudly continue to invest in meaningful community engagement initiatives, such as the Inclusive Excellence Summit, our 11 Employee Resource Groups, and the 80 student-led conferences and events across campus that support diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging.
Our academic and administrative leadership teams are now conducting a detailed review of the Supreme Court ruling and evaluating its potential impacts on our institution. As we move forward, we will continue to engage and communicate with our community, ensuring that Babson remains a diverse, accessible, and inclusive institution for all.
Sincerely,
President Steve Spinelli
Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD, President of Babson College
BATES’s statement regarding SCOTUS ruling
Dear Colleague
In the wake of today's Supreme Court decision, we are writing to affirm our belief that the Brandeis community benefits from the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students, faculty, and staff. Brandeis was established 75 years ago to address antisemitism, racism, and gender discrimination in higher education, and it remains today an institution dedicated to its founding values of inclusivity and justice.
Our holistic approach to reviewing applications from your students will continue to focus on their academic achievements, interests, activities, and life experience, and what they will bring to the Brandeis community, with a focus on critical thinking skills, community engagement, and perseverance.
We believe that diversity is crucial to academic excellence, innovation, and the free exchange of ideas. Our dedication to providing opportunities for students of all backgrounds remains unwavering.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Walker
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
University of Wisconsin-Madison statement re: SCOTUS ruling
Dear Pitzer Community,
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today on two controversial cases involving affirmative action and college admissions. The rulings have reversed 40 years of legal precedent on affirmative action that has been integral in diversifying the demographic landscape of higher education and, importantly, of Pitzer College.
The two cases involve the use of race in admissions practices at universities in the private (Harvard College) and public (University of North Carolina) sectors, and the Court’s decisions restrict the ability of schools like ours to consider race in evaluating candidates for admission. The rulings are effective immediately for the coming 2023−24 admission cycle and beyond.
As disruptive and disappointing as these rulings are, they are not a surprise. The Court had already demonstrated its willingness to undo decades of legal precedent. Today’s rulings on affirmative action broadly conform to what most observers of higher education admissions had been anticipating, and Pitzer has been consulting with industry organizations and legal counsel as we prepare to continue to advance our educational mission in the context of this new legal framework.
Pitzer, like Harvard and UNC, has a holistic admissions process. By considering numerous attributes of our applicants (including race), we seek to admit a diverse body of students who will become engaged, socially responsible citizens of the world. Our mission and core values focus on providing an academically rigorous, interdisciplinary, liberal arts education that emphasizes social justice, intercultural understanding, and environmental sustainability. Our shared community’s diversity, along racial as well as other lines, enhances this mission and our ability to deliver the highest quality education to all Pitzer students.
Specifically, the use of affirmative action in admissions has provided Pitzer and other schools with an important way to bring a wider array of lived experiences and perspectives into our community. We have enhanced the teaching, learning, and research that takes place at Pitzer by bringing that diversity of perspectives to bear on the vitally important issues and questions we confront as a college and as a society.
The Pitzer Admission team, like its counterparts across the nation, has been assessing available options and will continue to hone those plans to enable us to continue pursuing our shared mission in a manner compatible with these rulings. While we will need to adapt our admission practices to this new legal context, we want to assure the entire Pitzer community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, supporters, and prospective students—that we remain ever and fully committed to and sharply focused on our mission and core values, which not only benefit from but depend upon a diverse student body to sustain, advance, and carry them out into the world to effect positive change.
This issue is a fluid, rapidly evolving area in higher education, and we will provide relevant information and updates as they become available. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these matters, please reach out to our Office of Admission and Financial Aid at admission@pitzer.edu.
Provida Futuri,
Jill Klein P’15
Interim President
Strom C. Thacker
President-Designate
Yvonne Berumen ’97
Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid
YALE Statement re: SCOTUS ruling