Another monumental decision by the Supreme Court this year has struck down affirmative action, declaring that race cannot be considered by higher learning institutions during the college admissions process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 6-3 decision ruled in favor of Students for Fair Admissions<\/a>, who sued Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC), alleging that race-conscious practices discriminate against Asian American prospective students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the majority ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts said<\/a>, \u201cThe student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual \u2013not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual\u2019s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike the use of racial quotas<\/a>, which were deemed unconstitutional in 1978, affirmative action intends to consider race holistically, recognizing barriers to education. The 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger<\/em><\/a> case allowed affirmative action, ruling that because college acceptances and rejections are not based on the sole variable of race, it was not a violation of the 14th Amendment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n WI higher education institutions react<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Leaders at Marquette University penned a letter to community members<\/a>, expressing their commitment to current and future students, \u201cMarquette will continue to do everything we legally can to recruit a diverse student body that reflects the world around us and enhances the transformational education we seek to provide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2022, Marquette University and 56 other Catholic colleges and universities joined an amicus brief<\/a> urging the court to uphold affirmative action as it considered the Harvard and UNC cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This ruling comes as UW-Madison welcomed its most diverse incoming freshman class this fall, with about one-third identifying as students of color, a 6% increase from the previous academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe full implications of today\u2019s ruling \u2014 both nationally and on our campus \u2014 will not be known for some time. UW\u2013Madison and UW System attorneys are now carefully reviewing the Court\u2019s opinions and monitoring the potential release of additional guidance from relevant federal agencies,\u201d Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The statement continues, stating that the school\u2019s admissions process will be modified to comply with the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis will certainly disadvantage students who don\u2019t have access to college counselors and consultants, tutors, in other words, poor, minority students,\u201d U-W Madison Political Science Professor Howard Schweber said during an interview with Fox6 News<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Republican lawmakers target diversity programs at the local level<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Days before the Supreme Court decision, local lawmakers voted to cut the University of Wisconsin System\u2019s budget by $32 million<\/a>, despite a $7 billion state budget surplus. $32 million, republicans say, is what they estimate would be spent on UW\u2019s diversity, equity and inclusion programs over the next two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey need to refocus their priorities on being partners on developing our workforce and the future of the state and we\u2019re hopeful that they\u2019re going to be ready to do that as we move forward,\u201d Republican State Rep. Mark Born, and co-chair of the Legislature\u2019s budget-writing committee said.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Prior to the official cut, System President Jay Rothman warned of potential tuition increases and school closures<\/a> if the committee carried out the proposed budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u200b\u200b\u201cIt\u2019s just that simple,\u201d he stated. \u201cWe do not have the resources to continue to simply do what we have done before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n