Multiple Sources

Round-up: Supreme Court Majority Expresses Skepticism on Affirmative Action in Admissions

November 01, 2022

While the scheduled three hours of oral arguments extended to nearly five hours, the Supreme Court hearing yesterday on affirmative action in elite college admissions left many observers with the feeling that the majority of justices are skeptical of the polices at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. 
 
The court heard arguments brought by Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The group, which says it represents about 20,000 students, has asked the high court to overturn its ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger, a 2003 landmark decision that held colleges can consider race and use holistic reviews as long as their affirmative action programs are narrowly tailored.
 
Media reports noted that six justices with a history of opposing affirmative action asked questions and offered comments that reflected skepticism about the practice at both universities, including Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, and Samuel A. Alito Jr. Media outlets report Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor asked questions that suggested support for affirmative action.
 
A ruling, which could significantly reshape the college admissions process, is expected in the spring.
 
Below is a range of media coverage on the hearing.
 
7 Key Moments From the Supreme Court Hearings on Race-Conscious Admissions
The Chronicle of Higher Education (November 1, 2022)
 
Skepticism on Affirmative Action
Inside Higher Ed (November 1, 2022)
 
‘We Will Not Go Back’
Inside Higher Ed (November 1, 2022)
 
Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Race in College Admissions
The Wall Street Journal (October 31, 2022)
 
Affirmative Action in Jeopardy After Justices Raise Doubts
Associated Press (October 31, 2022)
 
Justices’ Past Affirmative Action Views, in Their Own Words
Associated Press (October 31, 2022)
 
Supreme Court Seems Ready to Throw Out Race-Based College Admissions
The New York Times (November 1, 2022)
 
Affirmative Action’s Future
The New York Times (November 1, 2022)
 
What Happens Next? The Court Will Probably Deliver Two Decisions, But Not Until June.
The New York Times (November 1, 2022)
 
Supreme Court Seems Open to Ending Affirmative Action in College Admissions
The Washington Post (October 31, 2022)
 
Affirmative Action: Supreme Court Signals Skepticism of Race-Conscious College Admissions
USA Today (November 1, 2022)
 
Conservative Justices Seem to Like Precedent This Time Around
Politico (October 31, 2022)
 
Supreme Court Seems Skeptical of Race-Conscious College Admissions
The Hill (October 31, 2022)
 
Research on Increasing Diversity in College Admissions
The Hechinger Report (October 31, 2022)
 
 
Does It Matter if Our Universities Look Like America? – Presidential Opinion
The Chronicle of Higher Education (November 1, 2022)
 
 
Can Harvard Discriminate by Race Forever? – Editorial
The Wall Street Journal (November 1, 2022)
 
Asian American Students Face Bias, but It’s Not What You Might Think – Commentary
The New York Times (November 1, 2022)
 
Why the Architecture of Affirmative Action Was Always Destined to Collapse – Commentary
The Washington Post (November 1, 2022)
 
Why the Upcoming Affirmative Action Cases Ignore the Real Issue in College Admissions – Commentary
The Hechinger Report (October 31, 2022)
 

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