The leading universities in New York unanimously panned the U.S. Supreme Court decision Thursday that severely curtails affirmative action programs in college admissions but pledged to continue their efforts in building a diverse student body.
The decision, stemming from cases at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, bars the use of explicit race-conscious criteria in admissions, though schools may still consider “an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote.
More:What to know: A breakdown of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision
More:‘Racial and class assault’: How a war on free NY tuition presaged the student debt crisis
Here are reactions from colleges and universities across New York.
SUNY Chancellor John King and Board of Trustees: “Today, the U.S. Supreme Court attempted to pull our nation backwards in the journey toward equity and civil rights with an egregious ruling that will have serious impacts on students and families seeking the American dream of opportunity through higher education.” (full statement)
SUNY Student Association: “The highest court in the nation has decided to take a tremendous step backward in the march toward racial equity on our campuses. … While today’s decisions exacerbate what seems to be a War on Education for all, The Student Assembly takes much pride to work within a system that is entrenched within the march for equity amongst all students.” (full statement)
University of Rochester: “We once again affirm the University’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we recognize that higher education and society at-large benefit from the diversity of thought that emerges from the open exchange of ideas among people from different backgrounds, identities, experiences, and beliefs.” (full statement)
Rochester Institute of Technology: “Today’s Supreme Court ruling … has set aside decades of case law that allowed colleges and universities to…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply