Biden Admin. Issues Higher Education Diversity Guidance

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Facts

  • On Monday, the Education and Justice departments issued guidance on how colleges and universities can promote diversity on campus after a SCOTUS decision ended race-based affirmative action in higher education.1
  • Seven pages of questions and answers, along with a "Dear Colleague" letter released by the departments, ask colleges to identify barriers underrepresented students face in college admissions and reexamine legacy and donor preferences.2
  • Education Secretary Miguel Cardona stated that, as SCOTUS didn't dispute "the value of diversity in education," colleges should take steps to "run programs to consider the retention and success of students of diverse backgrounds."3
  • In addition, the guidance advises colleges target recruitment and outreach programs towards underrepresented groups in higher education, pointing out that the ruling doesn't mean colleges must ignore race entirely so long as all students "enjoy the same opportunity."4
  • The guidance also permits colleges to legally collect data about the race of students and applicants, as long as it doesn't influence admissions decisions — this is in contrast to a directive from Students for Fair Admissions.5
  • The new guidance comes after the Education Department opened an investigation last month into whether Harvard was racially discriminating by favoring "legacy" applicants, a system civil rights groups say advantages white candidates.1

Sources: 1Reuters, 2POLITICO, 3CBS, 4The New York Times, and 5PBS NewsHour.

Narratives

  • Right narrative, as provided by The New York Sun. The Biden admin. has felt the need to guide colleges on how to skirt the law, as liberals refuse to part with their unpopular and illegal ideological strategy of affirmative action. SCOTUS clearly ruled that the application of racial proxy would violate applicants' rights and undermine equality. Colleges and universities should focus less on political posturing and more on education.
  • Left narrative, as provided by The Washington Post. Colleges and universities still have a right to pursue a diverse student body, and the current guidance merely affirms what all parties in this dispute have accepted. Colleges want well-rounded individuals who have the potential to make strong students and future leaders — the experience of being part of a racial minority in the US is no doubt part of this assessment. A holistic, whole-person admissions and outreach process can help elevate underrepresented students from backgrounds of disadvantage, ultimately leading to more equitable opportunities for all.

Predictions