Abigail Fisher, a white woman, alleges that she was denied admission to the University of Texas because of her race. Her case has advanced and may be heard by the Supreme Court. How do you feel about the consideration of a person’s race or ethnicity in college admissions or job applications? In the name of diversity, is it fair to give one person an advantage over another?
In a Sunday Review article, “College Diversity Nears Its Last Stand,” Adam Liptak writes about Ms. Fisher:
Now her case is hurtling toward the Supreme Court. That could provide a fresh opportunity to consider what we mean when we talk about diversity. It could also mean the end of affirmative action at public universities.
Ms. Fisher’s lawyers filed a petition seeking a Supreme Court review last month, and legal experts say the justices will probably agree to hear it, setting the stage for a decision by June. Such a decision, given changes in the membership of the court since 2003, is likely to cut back on if not eliminate the use of race in admissions decisions at public colleges and universities.
Diversity is the last man standing, the sole remaining legal justification for racial preferences in deciding who can study at public universities. Should the Supreme Court disavow it, the student body at the University of Texas and many other public colleges and universities would almost instantly become whiter and more Asian, and less black and Hispanic.
A judicial retreat from diversity would be deeply symbolic, too. The term — a gauzy, unobjectionable way to talk about the combustible topic of race — has had a remarkable run. If the diversity rationale falls apart in university admissions, it could start to test the societal commitment to it in other arenas, notably private hiring and promotion.
Students: Share your opinion on affirmative action. Do you believe in giving traditionally disadvantaged groups an edge in competitive admissions or job selection processes? How important is diversity to you? Do you believe diversity can occur naturally or that systems should be in place to ensure equal representation of different races and ethnicities?
In a Sunday Review article, “College Diversity Nears Its Last Stand,” Adam Liptak writes about Ms. Fisher:
Now her case is hurtling toward the Supreme Court. That could provide a fresh opportunity to consider what we mean when we talk about diversity. It could also mean the end of affirmative action at public universities.
Ms. Fisher’s lawyers filed a petition seeking a Supreme Court review last month, and legal experts say the justices will probably agree to hear it, setting the stage for a decision by June. Such a decision, given changes in the membership of the court since 2003, is likely to cut back on if not eliminate the use of race in admissions decisions at public colleges and universities.
Diversity is the last man standing, the sole remaining legal justification for racial preferences in deciding who can study at public universities. Should the Supreme Court disavow it, the student body at the University of Texas and many other public colleges and universities would almost instantly become whiter and more Asian, and less black and Hispanic.
A judicial retreat from diversity would be deeply symbolic, too. The term — a gauzy, unobjectionable way to talk about the combustible topic of race — has had a remarkable run. If the diversity rationale falls apart in university admissions, it could start to test the societal commitment to it in other arenas, notably private hiring and promotion.
Students: Share your opinion on affirmative action. Do you believe in giving traditionally disadvantaged groups an edge in competitive admissions or job selection processes? How important is diversity to you? Do you believe diversity can occur naturally or that systems should be in place to ensure equal representation of different races and ethnicities?