In the News

The Supreme Court decided Thursday to strike down affirmative action, a long-held college admissions policy that permitted race to be factored into a potential student’s acceptance.

In the cases of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, justices ruled the practice is unconstitutional and infringes on the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

Besides looking at test scores and GPAs, colleges attempted to address some applicants’ lack of educational resources by considering their background, and by doing so, they would increase the diversity on their campuses. Students from higher-income households tend to fare better on standardized tests than their lower-income peers, and the same goes for white and Asian students as compared to their Hispanic and Black counterparts, according to 2022 data provided by the College Board.

New Hampshire had already banned affirmative action prior to its federal repeal, meaning its private institutions will now also be affected.

After the court’s landmark ruling, many local lawmakers and universities shared their thoughts on the decision and the decades of precedent now turned void.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey held a press conference in Boston alongside current students and educational leaders to condemn “the far-right, extremist majority on the court” who have failed to protect people’s rights, he said.

Instead of advocating for those affected by systemic racism in the college admissions process, Markey said the Supreme Court is favoring the wealthy and privileged, and in turn, further widening the collegiate barrier to entry. He called the ruling “a devastating blow.”

“The decision to deny consideration of race in school admissions is grounded in the misguided notion that colorblindness is justice,” Markey said. “Colorblindness ignores deeply rooted institutional racism and its impacts on people based on the color of their skin. The Supreme Court of the United States is stomping on the dreams of our young people. The Supreme Court majority may think that they are blind to race, but what they are truly blind to is inequality, blind to injustice, blind to progress that our country must make. That is what the Supreme Court is blind to.”

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan stated the move “will benefit the wealthy and well off” while hurting underrepresented groups “who have been traditionally overlooked.”

“The notion that prohibiting colleges from considering race as a factor for admission protects Black and brown students is ridiculous,” Trahan wrote in a tweet. “This decision turns back the clock on the progress made to ensure more equitable access to higher education, particularly prestigious schools.”

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren had similarly harsh words for the court and its conservative majority.

“An extremist Supreme Court has once again reversed decades of settled law, rolled back the march toward racial justice, and narrowed educational opportunity for all,” Warren wrote. “I won’t stop fighting for young people with big dreams who deserve an equal chance to pursue their future.”

Academic diversity is important because it ensures all Americans can receive an education, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton wrote in a statement. Rather than examine the affirmative action decision, he said colleges can reconfigure their admissions tools to find alternative ways of providing educational opportunities for students.

“But rather than just looking at this decision’s negative aspects, schools should try to innovate and accomplish these goals without anybody thinking that they got a seat just because of the color of their skin,” Moulton stated. “We need to recognize the impact of systemic racism in our country and fix it with sustainable solutions.”

At Middlesex Community College, more than half of the campus community is racially and ethnically diverse, making the court’s overturning detrimental to the institution, said MCC President Phil Sisson.

Despite the expected negative impacts, Sisson stated the college will continue to create a welcoming environment for students from all walks of life, including first-generation students, students of color, LGBTQ+ students and “students from underrepresented communities.”

“Our community of learners come to us from different backgrounds and stages of their lives in order to start their education, advance in their careers, provide for their families, and update their skills for professional and personal enrichment,” Sisson wrote in a statement. “The Supreme Court’s decision today does not align with MCC’s mission; however, that will not stop us in fulfilling our mission. We will continue to support and guide students from all experiences to ensure everyone has access to higher education.”

UMass President Marty Meehan and the five chancellors across the UMass system — including UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen — signed a joint statement addressing the repeal. Administration is working to understand the ramifications of the court’s decision and its impact on UMass’s admissions, they wrote.

“The University of Massachusetts will continue to follow the law, and will do so while sustaining its deep and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” the statement reads. “We believe this is essential to the advancement of academic excellence and critical to the preparation of our students to succeed in a global economy.”

In a message to the campus community, Fitchburg State University President Richard Lapidus reassured students and faculty of the school’s commitment to “making higher education opportunities accessible for students.” Affirmative action’s demise doesn’t mean an end to the university’s longstanding goal of admitting diverse students, he sad.

“We believe in providing all individuals, particularly those who face socioeconomic barriers to opportunity and advancement, with the ability to earn a degree and contribute to the economic, social and civic life of their communities,” Lapidus wrote. “I am proud of the important work our institution does every day to support our students, now and into the future.”