U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Frederica Wilson (D-FL) led a bicameral group of lawmakers in a letter urging the Education Department to better address racial and ethnic gaps in higher education access and attainment by expanding the collection of college admissions data, according to a press release.
"Despite a shrinking difference in racial and ethnic gaps of high school diploma attainment, there remains a significant and worrisome gap between Black, Hispanic, and Native American adults and white adults in the attainment of bachelor's degrees," the lawmakers wrote.
"We are deeply concerned with the persistent racial inequities in access to postsecondary education and in the attainment of bachelor's degrees," the letter continues. "To adequately address the issue, researchers, leaders and policymakers require more information."
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the coming months on two cases challenging the consideration of race in college admissions. In anticipation of those forthcoming decisions, the lawmakers suggest that more detail is needed to understand the racial dynamic of college admissions.
"Race-conscious admissions policies are a critical tool for advancing racial equity, diversity, and access in higher education," the letter states. "After the elimination of such practices in both California and Texas, admissions rates for Black and Hispanic students dropped precipitously, leading to long-term, negative effects on the income and social mobility of Black and Hispanic communities, many of whom were denied access to the personal, professional, and socioeconomic growth so often facilitated by higher education."
To "increase transparency and close the gap on higher education attainment," the lawmakers call on the Education Department to include three new components to its data collection efforts:
- racial and ethnic demographic data for applicants, admits, and enrollments;
- whether an institution of higher education (IHE) uses legacy preferences; and
- whether an IHE uses early action or early decision admissions.
"The inclusion of these three components would allow for stakeholders to track racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities throughout the entirety of the admissions process and see how the practices of legacy admissions and early decision impact access and diversity in higher education," the lawmakers conclude. "Increasing transparency is a powerful signal that this administration can send about its commitment to diversity and access in postsecondary education."
Related Link
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley’s Press Release