Affirmative Action and Black Student Success: The Pursuit of a “Critical Mass” at Historically White Universities

In June 2023, the Supreme Court effectively ended race-conscious admissions practices with their decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. (SFFA) v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard) and SFFA v. University of North Carolina (UNC), Nos. 20-1199 & 21-707. The Court 6–3 ruling held that Harvard and UNC admissions programs, which account for race at various stages in the process, violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In light of this decision, the institutional policies, practices, and discourses surrounding affirmative action have changed drastically.

The effects of this ruling are already apparent. Some colleges and universities have seen a substantial decrease in enrollment among Black students (see also Inside Higher Education). And, now, Students for Fair Admissions, whose lawsuits against Harvard and UNC led the Supreme Court to strike down race-conscious admissions, has placed Duke University “on notice” as they believe Duke may be “circumventing the Supreme Court’s decision.” Yale and Princeton received similar correspondence.

These scenarios beg the questions, (1) what are the legal ramifications of this Supreme Court decision, (2) what consideration should be given to lawsuits that may follow, and (3) how should institutions prepare to continue to lead for DEI in higher education in the face of resistance? This webinar and book talk will address some of these inquiries.

Dr. David J. Luke’s Affirmative Action and Black Student Success is a concrete and comprehensive exploration into diversity programs and initiatives on college campuses and their impact on Black student success and outcomes. As stated by Dr. Alford Young Jr. while offering a review of Luke’s book, “the book offers much to contemplate about whether and how diversity policy can make a difference in higher education institutions. Luke’s case analyses encourage deep reflection about whether diversity initiatives that are exclusively based on recognizing and celebrating difference truly result in durable changes in the demographic makeup of student and faculty bodies.”

In this book talk, Drs. David Luke and Alford Young engage in a praxis centered discussion that will address affirmative action, diversity initiatives designed to support Black students (and, when relevant, Black faculty), and various interconnected topics.