Originally published by Prism. The Supreme Court of the United States will soon hear two cases that have the potential to permanently change the racial makeup of college classrooms. This fall, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in cases against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), which argue that the affirmative action policies at both schools are discriminatory. The cases allege the universities break the law by looking at race, with a preference given to Indigenous, Black, and Latinx applicants — discriminating against white and Asian candidates. Especially in the case against Harvard,…
Affirmative Action
Jamaal Bowman, Jeff Merkley Propose Bill to End College Legacy Admissions
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear a case challenging affirmative action, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-New York) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) are pushing to end legacy and donor admissions practices at colleges that receive federal funding. On Wednesday, the two lawmakers introduced the Fair College Admissions for Students Act, which would bar colleges that receive funding from federal student aid from considering legacies – or a particular applicant’s family ties – in the admissions process. Legacy students, especially at elite universities, can take up a large portion of an admissions class, pushing students who would otherwise qualify out of…