FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2023
Contact: Emma Bittner
(972) 510-3395 | Emma.Bittner@younginvincibles.org

Young Invincibles Condemns the Supreme Court Decisions Outlawing Race-Conscious Admissions in Higher Education

Decisions will have devastating consequences for equity in higher education and diversity on campuses

(Washington, DC) – Today, the Supreme Court announced decisions on two cases challenging race-conscious admissions in higher education, ruling that affirmative action is unconstitutional. The results in both cases – Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College – were the majority held that race could no longer be a factor considered for admissions. 

Overturning five decades of legal and academic policy will have far-reaching impact and likely result in lower enrollment rates for Black and Latinx students, rolling back decades of progress toward equity made possible by race-conscious admissions. The consequences of this decision will be felt immediately on campuses and in time in the workforce, where fewer degrees will hinder job prospects and could exacerbate the racial wealth gap. 

In response, Kristin McGuire, Executive Director of Young Invincibles, said: 

“Today, the highest court in the country decided to roll back decades of progress towards equity and diversity on campuses. Race-conscious admissions are among the most powerful and effective policy responses to centuries of racial inequities in higher education. It is exactly that power that the six Justices seek to suppress with their decision. 

Our education system simply does not provide all students with the same opportunities, and it never has. We must be proactive to ensure communities who have been historically and intentionally excluded have pathways to and through higher education. Race-conscious admissions were one effective lever to do just that – but we must find new ways to work toward equity and diversity on our campuses. We cannot afford to give up on the students still dreaming of degrees as a tool to fulfill their own American Dream. 

Today’s decision is a devastating blow to students of color and the higher education community, but we won’t stop working to make a college degree in reach for all who seek it.”

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Young Invincibles (YI) is a national advocacy and policy nonprofit organization focused on amplifying the voice of young people in the political process at the local, state, and federal levels. YI focuses on issues impacting young adults ages 18 to 34 in higher education, health care, economic security, and civic engagement. Our offices include Washington, D.C., California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas. For more information, please contact Emma Bittner at (972) 510-3395 or emma.bittner@younginvincibles.org