In 2019, issues related to diversity in higher education took the national stage.
A federal court judge ruled to uphold Harvard University’s race-conscious admissions policy, dealing a stunning blow to anti-affirmative-action proponents who hoped the case might be a defining issue in next year’s 2020 presidential race.
In Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, Judge Allison Burroughs defended the use of race as a consideration in the admissions process, rejecting the claim that Harvard had intentionally discriminated against Asian American applicants.
“The rich diversity at Harvard and other colleges and universities and the benefits that flow from that diversity will foster the tolerance, acceptance and understanding that will ultimately make race conscious admissions obsolete,” Burroughs wrote in a 130-page opinion.
Meanwhile, a similar case involving University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill remains in court. The same anti-affirmative-action group, Students for Fair Admissions, challenged the school’s admissions process, arguing it illegally penalized Asian American and White applicants by taking race into account.
Both cases could have a major impact on the future of affirmative action.
DACA
