The Trump administration is expected to instruct schools not to consider race in the admissions process, effectively rolling back Obama-era policies promoting diversity in higher education, according to US media reports. This move comes as US Attorney General Jeff Sessions revoked 24 guidance documents on Tuesday, many of which addressed race in schools and affirmative action recommendations.
Affirmative action, known as positive action in the UK, has long been a contentious issue in the United States. The practice, which involves favouring minorities during admissions to promote campus diversity, was upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2016. However, Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote that opinion, announced his retirement last month, giving President Donald Trump an opportunity to appoint a justice more aligned with his views.
The Obama-era guidance, jointly issued by the education and justice departments, encouraged universities to consider race as one of several factors in admissions to create diverse learning environments. In contrast, the Bush administration had previously discouraged such policies. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos declined to comment on the matter, stating that it had been a question for the courts.
Harvard University is currently facing a lawsuit from Students for Fair Admissions, which alleges that the college holds Asian-American applicants to an unfairly high standard. The Justice Department is also investigating Harvard over racial discrimination allegations. Harvard argues that it does not discriminate against any group, and Asian-Americans make up 22.2% of admitted students.
According to a Pew Research Center study, 71% of Americans surveyed in October 2017 had a positive view of affirmative action. The policy originated with President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and was expanded under President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. The Supreme Court has outlawed racial quotas but allowed race to be considered in admissions.
