West PDX Today

WASHINGTON, DC [06/29/23] – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) released the following statement on the Supreme Court Decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina.

“Ths decision striking down affirmative action is a loss for our increasingly diverse country and a devastating blow to fairness and equity in higher education. The evidence is clear: race-conscious admissions policies have made the promise of a college education more attainable for students from underrepresented communities. Racial diversity on college campuses fosters diversity of thought and diversity of experiences; a racially diverse student body brings empathy, compassion, and mutual understanding among students with different life experiences.

“It is a tragedy that we will now likely see a significant drop in the enrollment of Black and Latino students at elite universities. And it is disingenuous for the Supreme Court to block race-conscious admissions with the misguided presumption of colorblindness while admissions practices that favor students from privileged backgrounds, including legacy admissions and admissions for family members of wealthy donors, are allowed to continue. This decision will also put added burden on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions. In light of this decision, I encourage all institutions of higher education to pursue policies that make diversity a priority when considering applications, and I will continue fighting at the federal level for policies that make higher education more accessible, affordable, and equitable.”

Original source can be found here.