On June 29, affirmative action policies were overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States, sending shockwaves through educational institutions nationwide.
The Supreme Court decision struck down affirmative action policies that allowed race and ethnicity to be considered factors in college admissions.
Universities are fighting to understand the implications of this ruling in their admissions process and campus diversity.
“In Missouri, every state institution got a message that said you cannot use affirmative action for scholarships or hiring,” Leah Murray, politics professor at Weber State University, said. “They basically threw affirmative action out the window.”
WSU has an open enrollment policy, which provides accessible education to all students.
“A kid could have hated high school and not done super well on their tests, but maybe now when they are 20, they are ready to buckle down and do the work,” Murray said. Harvard would say you can’t come here, but Weber would say you can.”
WSU accepts all high school graduates regardless of their academic performance, test scores or other qualifications.
Under current affirmative action policies, WSU and all other open enrollment schools could face new challenges in maintaining their commitment to a diverse student body.
“I don’t know if this decision sets up a cascade effect that eventually affects Weber State, but that would be in the long run,” Murray said. “As far as the short-term effects go, not much changes.”
There is a fear that eliminating affirmative action may decrease the representation of underrepresented minority students and hinder efforts to rectify historical disadvantages.
“Affirmative action is a policy that tries to disrupt historical expectations,” Murray said. “A good example of affirmative action on our campus at Weber State is veterans applying for a job. We acknowledge that veterans have a harder time getting employed when they return from their service, so they will receive extra points.”
Weber State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. According to WSU, its policy is to provide equal opportunities to every employee at the university.
