Affirmative Action Challenge

Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and UNC

America’s higher education institutions have long recognized and cultivated the educational benefits of diversity. Current holistic admissions practices adhere to a legal framework that has grounded diversity efforts for decades. AACRAO believes these practices are instrumental in helping institutions to identify students who are likely to thrive in their educational programs.

There is a long history of case law that supports the use of holistic assessment’s focus on diversity and confirms that colleges and universities have a compelling interest in ensuring student body diversity. As student demographics undergo rapid change, more colleges and universities are looking beyond traditional measures to admit future students. To remove the consideration of non-academic factors is unfair to applicants for whom this is a critical part of their life and would deprive applicants of full and due consideration of their lived experiences.

Up-to-date Guidance

AACRAO encourages members to begin to examine any admissions or recruitment practices that target populations of a specific race as well as their overall holistic/equity admissions practices.

To assist in this process, AACRAO is providing this guidance document to prepare our members for a possible major change in their ability to consider an applicant’s race and ethnicity as part of a holistic/equity review in admissions.

REVIEW GUIDANCE

Webinar: Looking Back, Planning Ahead

On February 2, 2023, AACRAO hosted a webinar that examines the pending U.S. Supreme cases where the central question is whether colleges and universities can continue to consider an applicant’s race and ethnicity as part of the holistic review process in admissions.

View Recording

Updates

AACRAO Issues Guidance in Preparation for Supreme Court Decision in Admissions Cases

Feb 2, 2023, 11:46 AM

legacy id :

Summary : The guidance aims to help prepare members for a possible major change in their ability to consider an applicant's race and ethnicity as part of a holistic/equity review in admissions.

Url :

This fall, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases challenging the race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC).

The plaintiff in both cases, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), alleges that the institutions intentionally discriminate against Asian American students. SFFA asked the high court to overturn its ruling in the landmark Grutter v. Bollinger decision that has shaped college admissions policies for nearly two decades. Ahead of oral arguments, AACRAO joined the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), ACT, Inc. and the College Board in an amicus brief to inform the Supreme Court of the importance of continuing to allow admission professionals to holistically review all factors regarding applicants.

The court is expected to issue a final decision in the cases in the coming months. In anticipation of that decision, AACRAO recently issued guidance to prepare members for a possible major change in their ability to consider an applicant's race and ethnicity as part of a holistic/equity review in admissions. The guidance encourages members to begin to examine any policies/practices/procedures where affirmative action (race and/or ethnicity) is or may be a factor.