An open letter to students of color:
The Supreme Court has heard Fisher v. University of Texas, a case about the use of race as a factor in college admissions. Although the court will be examining a unique admissions system, where the bulk of students are admitted under a “race-blind” admissions program called the top 10 percent plan, most commentators are framing the issues broadly and speculating that the court could use this case to mark the end of affirmative action in college admissions.
This case means that race and the educational achievement gap are going to be all over the news and the subject of public “discourse” dressed up as a violent turf war. As a student of color, this means that you, your qualifications and your race could become the subject of scrutiny and potentially tried daily by a jury of your peers. My prayer is that you will have intelligent, well-informed, respectful discussions at a time that is mutually convenient for you and those with whom you choose to discuss these topics.
Realistically, however, you are going to be confronted by at least one person who expects you to justify affirmative action — on behalf of your whole race. Because there are statistically fewer of you represented on college campuses, it is more likely that you will be expected to justify it over and over again. Another classmate having the discussion for the first time; you having it for the sixth or seventh time that week alone. It will feel exhausting, annoying and unfair and you might even be tempted to take an anti-affirmative action stance to remove their excuse for assailing your qualifications.
However, if you are prepared, you can address these confrontations quickly and avoid hours of fighting that would unfairly burden your academic focus. Remember, you are first and foremost a student just like they are, and your academics remain an important priority, even when it feels like others keep heaping this back onto your plate.
Here are some tools that I hope will help you keep conversations efficient, respectful and informative — diffusing tension and allowing you to keep on your academic focus.
1. Holistic File Review: Although the top 10 percent plan fills the bulk of seats at the University of Texas, this is not the portion of the admissions system that is being challenged. What is being challenged is the use of a “Holistic File Review” system to fill the remainder of seats. This system is used all over the country and is modeled after the Harvard Plan, which the court has applauded as a fair use of race in college admissions.
