Top universities across the country have made public statements in response to Thursday’s landmark decision by the Supreme Court to ban the use of race in admissions decisions.
Yale University President Peter Salovey expressed a “strong disagreement” with the court’s decision, but said that the university would still try to pursue diversity within the bounds of the law.
“It will take some time to fully consider the implications of the Court’s decisions and review our admissions policies in light of them. As we do this work, I write today to reaffirm Yale’s unwavering commitment to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive community,” Salovey wrote.
New Hampshire-based Dartmouth College issued a statement lamenting the decision. Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock reaffirmed the school’s commitment to racial diversity in an official statement. (RELATED: ‘A Dagger In Our Back’: Sharpton Says ‘Right-Wing Trump Court’ Should Be ‘Resisted’)
Good statement. But my personal view is that if @Harvard wants this statement to be credible, they must end legacy admissions. https://t.co/wWZsBsx7Y0
— Jeff Brown (@IlliniBizDean) June 29, 2023
“First, I want to be absolutely clear: This decision in no way changes Dartmouth’s fundamental commitment to building a diverse and welcoming community of faculty, students, and staff, as articulated in our institutional values. Diversity, including racial diversity, is vital to our mission of knowledge creation in service to society,” Beilock wrote.
Harvard released a statement which reaffirmed their admissions priorities. The university stressed that having a community comprised of people “of many backgrounds” is a “fundamental principle” of the university.
“We write today to reaffirm the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. That principle is as true and important today as it was yesterday.”
Columbia University spokesperson Ben Chang released a statement saying the university is still reviewing the decision and isn’t ready yet to comment.
“We are reviewing the Supreme Court’s decision and will refrain from commenting further until we fully understand its implications. As we prepare to comply with the law, our commitment to our values is unwavering. Diversity is a positive force across every dimension of Columbia, and we can and must find a durable and meaningful path to preserve it,” Chang wrote.
Duke University President Vince Price issued a statement saying the school has already been planning for the ruling and would still pursue a racially diverse class.
“We have already been planning for the many potential procedural implications. As this process unfolds, we remain committed to doing everything we can to foster a vibrant and diverse academic community,” Price wrote.
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., issued a joint-statement that said the court decision would cause changes in their admissions practices but would not change their institutional goals.
“This decision will require changes in our admissions practices. But our values and beliefs will not change. Bringing together individuals who have wide-ranging experiences that inform their approach to their time at Penn is fundamental to excellent teaching, learning, and research,” they wrote.