UNC-Chapel Hill is home to a diverse student body of over 30,000 students, which is reflected in its lively campus. From the Soul Rebels welcoming students to campus with Southern sounds and style to students dancing in the pit to Latin pop to students dressing up in traditional clothes for fashion shows at the Student Union, it is clear that UNC is a sanctuary for students to showcase, share and take pride in their culture and identity.
However, this diversity is under threat.
On Oct. 31, 2022, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over the ability of colleges and universities to consider race as a factor in higher education admission decisions. Outlawing race-conscious admissions would not only have devastating consequences on diverse campuses across the nation, but it would also deprive students from historically resilient communities of equitable opportunities in pursuing their educational dreams.
First implemented in 1965, affirmative action policies were used to remedy the systemic racism and discriminatory practices that barred people of color from equal opportunities. The legacy of racial exclusion still impacts students of color today. Gerrymandered attendance zones and school districts have been drawn to segregate students of color from their white counterparts. According to the UCLA Civil Rights Project, schools in the South are as segregated now as they were about 50 years ago, when the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education outlawed school segregation. As a result, Black, Indigenous and other students of color are statistically more likely to attend under-resourced schools and receive lower-quality education. This puts BIPOC at a huge disadvantage when applying to post-secondary school.
Eliminating all signs of race from the admissions process will only exacerbate these racial barriers. Research findings have established that the admission rates of Black and Latinx students tend to decrease after bans on affirmative action policies, especially at highly selective universities. Universities would not be able to fully consider the personal statements, leadership experiences, recommendation letters and activities that revealed an applicant’s race. For example, a university could consider the leadership experience of an applicant who volunteered at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or participated in the Future Business Leaders of America, but they would not be able to consider the leadership experience of an applicant who was a member of the National Society of Black Engineers or volunteered with the African Methodist Episcopal Church or the Korean Presbyterian Church.
In upholding “race-conscious” admissions, we can start to confront the racism and discrimination that prevents students of color from having equal access to educational opportunities that would give them a competitive edge in a selective college admissions process. All students deserve a fair shot at going to college, regardless of their income, where they grew up or their racial and ethnic background. By joining together, no matter our race, background or zip code, we can stop the blatant efforts to segregate our education system and ensure every child has an equal opportunity.
– Christina Huang, Co-Leader of UNC for Affirmative Action
