The U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision Thursday striking down affirmative action has intensified angst among many higher-education leaders who say extending access to a diversity of students could become a challenging, high-cost and labor-intensive effort steeped in uncertainties.
Many also fear that applications from Black, Latino and other students of color will drop, and say a key priority will be to assure those students that they matter and that campus commitment to diversity remains strong.
“We’re really worried about private colleges and universities and what it means for representation,” said Christopher Nellum, executive director of Ed Trust-West, a nonprofit organization focused on education equity. “Young people, particularly young people of color, …are going receive this as a message that they don’t belong.”
