SCOTUS affirmative action decision to alter UW admissions process

University of Wisconsin’s class of 2028 will be the first class admitted after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned affirmative action last June in the Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College decision.

The court ruled that affirmative action in college admissions was unconstitutional and in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

But, the decision does allow for admissions offices to consider “an applicant’s discussion of how race affected the applicant’s life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university.”

In a statement issued June 29, 2023, UW Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin shared insights into a growing body of research that suggests diverse groups tend to make stronger decisions. But, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling requires modifications to UW’s current admissions process in order to be in compliance to the law, according to the statement...