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Harvard’s Affirmative Action Case Creates Buzz on Campus
Fall 2018 | Julian Nunally
As you may have heard, Harvard just recently concluded oral arguments in an affirmative action case brought by an activist organization that is filing suits across the nation attempting to make use of race as a factor in admissions illegal under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. For those who want to follow the case, it is called Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (D. Mass).
Asian-Americans are the alleged injured party, based on the problematic idea that using race as a factor in admissions forces many more qualified Asian-American students to lose their spots to “less qualified” students. Harvard has zealously fought against this idea using many arguments that go beyond the scope of this email blurb. While the legality of race-conscious admissions is the main issue at hard,
SFFA has put forth a myriad of different arguments, economic models, and theories about how Harvard’s admissions process may be discriminatory. Harvard University has made it clear that they value diversity and they vehemently stand by their admissions practices. Harvard has bolstered their defense with the use of economics, statistics, and testimony from students and faculty….
This case has massive implications, especially for black students, because in states such as Michigan and California where they have chosen to eradicate race as a factor in admissions, the population of black students in those universities has been decimated.
Harvard BLSA’s issued the following words to the community:
“…the Harvard Black Law Students Association wanted to reemphasize to each of you that we believe in the value of affirmative action and race-conscious admissions. As members of the Harvard community, we will continue to fight to ensure students of color have a fair chance to join Harvard and other institutions of higher education.”
We will update the alumni with a more substantive analysis once the district court has made their decision.
For further discussion of the case, see:
- Our Harvard BLSA’s Official Statement
- Harvard’s Official Page on the Case
- Coverage by the NAACP Legal and Educational Defense Fund
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