U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona issued a statement defending race-conscious admission policies at colleges and universities in the wake of the Supreme Court’s curtailing of affirmative action in institutions of higher learning on Thursday.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, a majority of justices on the Court ruled that two such programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina were unconstitutional and that previous iterations of the Court had “concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin.”
Cardona fired off a statement attacking the Court’s opinion later that day:
“Today’s Supreme Court decision takes our country decades backward, sharply limiting a vital tool that colleges have used to create vibrant, diverse campus communities. Students of color have long faced inequities in education and college access, and today’s ruling is yet another blow to the fight for equal opportunity.”
Cardona went on to suggest that President Joe Biden’s administration would support any college or university administrators looking to avoid running afoul of the law while also instituting policies to consider race in admissions:
“[N]ow is not the time to lessen your commitment to campus communities that reflect the rich diversity of this nation, which enhance the college experience in myriad ways and prepare students from all walks of life … The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting you in pursuing all lawful practices that meet that goal. We will continue working with you to raise the bar for inclusivity and work intentionally to better support students of color, because the inequities that exist in higher education access and outcomes remain unacceptable.”
Some higher learning institutions have already signaled that they would do just that. Harvard administrators, for instance, issued a statement that referred to a single line in the Court’s lengthy opinion, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“The Court also ruled that colleges and universities may consider in admissions decisions’ an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.’ We will certainly comply with the Court’s decision,” wrote the Ivy League administrators.
Rice University issued a similar statement, saying, “The law may change, but Rice’s commitment to diversity will not. Together, we will do everything we can — and everything we must — to maintain and expand the excellence, diversity and vibrancy of the Rice community.”