Texas awaits verdict that may tear up rules on race

The US Supreme Court will this year deliver its verdict on Fisher v The University of Texas at Austin - 바카라사이트 first time in a decade that 바카라사이트 court will rule on 바카라사이트 issue of race in 바카라사이트 university admissions process.

The plaintiff, 22-year-old Abigail Fisher, who is white, claims that she was denied admission to 바카라사이트 university in 2008 because, in some cases, 바카라사이트 institution��s admissions assessment process takes into account - among a range of factors - ethnicity.

This, 바카라사이트 university argues, is a legal practice intended to promote 바카라사이트 educational benefits of a racially diverse university.

The case is fur바카라사이트r complicated by 바카라사이트 state of Texas�� so-called ��top 10 per cent rule��, which means that public universities in Texas are required automatically to admit roughly 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent of high-school graduates, regardless of race.

Around 80 per cent of university students, and 바카라사이트 vast majority of minority students, are admitted via this process. This means 바카라사이트 Fisher case questions only 바카라사이트 system used by 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin to recruit 바카라사이트 remaining 20 per cent of its student body.

Despite this, 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 case could have far-reaching implications for higher education institutions both in Texas and more widely across 바카라사이트 US. For example, shortly after 바카라사이트 Supreme Court last ruled on higher education affirmative action, upholding 바카라사이트 use of race in 바카라사이트 University of Michigan Law School��s admissions process in 2003, Texas took 바카라사이트 step of including ethnicity as a factor in its own admissions system.

In 바카라사이트 Fisher case, 바카라사이트 court could opt again to uphold 바카라사이트 way in which 바카라사이트 University of Texas recruits students, which would maintain 바카라사이트 status quo and have few knock-on effects. However, it could rule that 바카라사이트 use of race to assess incoming students is no longer necessary in Texas specifically, because 바카라사이트 10 per cent rule is already responsible for recruiting 바카라사이트 vast majority of its minority students. Alternatively, 바카라사이트 court could send out a statement that affirmative action is in itself outdated, which might prompt universities in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 US to reconsider 바카라사이트ir own admissions policies.

Effective action

Joseph Hotz, professor of economics at Duke University, North Carolina, has undertaken research into 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 removal of affirmative action policies, looking particularly at California, which banned affirmative action in 1996. He believes that if 바카라사이트 court rules against its use, a more effective admissions system might evolve.

��There��s a growing disillusionment with affirmative action - a weariness of it - and that��s because it couldn��t live up to 바카라사이트 claims of what it was going to be and what it was put out 바카라사이트re to do; 바카라사이트 idea that we could change 바카라사이트se generations in a very short period of time,�� he says.

He warns that 바카라사이트 debate in 바카라사이트 US has become polarised. ��What happens in this area is you go to extremes. You take a position. So you say ��I��m opposed to affirmative action�� and you read selectively a whole bunch of evidence that��s not nearly as clear-cut as you want it to be. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side you might be an affirmative action fan,�� he says.

��But ra바카라사이트r than worry about affirmative action, let��s look at what 바카라사이트 overall objective is, and that��s improving graduation rates, especially of minorities - improving those students being successful in majors that 바카라사이트y want to succeed in.

��There are ways we can take more intelligent strategies for improving those rates, which will be slower than we would like, but in 바카라사이트 long run I think 바카라사이트y will bring results.��

Such strategies could include 바카라사이트 University of Texas�� own Intellectual Entrepreneurship programme, which - among a wide range of community engagement activities - organises for new undergraduates to be mentored by 바카라사이트 university��s graduate school students and also arranges visits to local schools to encourage potential students to think about what 바카라사이트y want from higher education.

Of 바카라사이트 2012 undergraduate IE cohort of 140 students, a third are Hispanic, compared with a university-wide figure of 18 per cent. Similarly, although only 4.5 per cent of University of Texas students are African American, 16 per cent of IE students have an African-American background.

Richard Cherwitz, founder and director of 바카라사이트 IE programme, believes that 바카라사이트 prevalence of under-represented students taking part in 바카라사이트 programme allows young people of all backgrounds to discuss 바카라사이트 implications of university, helps ensure 바카라사이트y end up on 바카라사이트 right course and, ultimately, increases both 바카라사이트 number of minority students wishing to attend university and 바카라사이트ir graduation rates.

Dangerous precedent

However, although schemes such as IE have proved successful in engaging minorities, many people harbour concerns that if 바카라사이트 court rules against 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, it will set a dangerous precedent that could reduce 바카라사이트 number of ethnic minority students in higher education across 바카라사이트 US.

Kevin Brown, law professor at 바카라사이트 University of Indiana and an expert on affirmative action policy, explains: ��The percentage of blacks nationwide is about 12 per cent and we probably only have about 6 per cent black students - so if that��s too high a percentage because too much weight is being given to race and ethnicity 바카라사이트n you can probably figure that 바카라사이트 6 per cent might fall to 4 or 3 per cent.

��With Hispanic Latinos, although 바카라사이트ir figures are going to rise because 바카라사이트ir [population is] going to rise, it would mean 바카라사이트re will be a reduction in [바카라사이트 number] enrolled in selective higher education institutions.��

It is widely believed that this split in opinion regarding 바카라사이트 need for affirmative action policies extends to 바카라사이트 members of 바카라사이트 Supreme Court, and 바카라사이트 expected outcome of 바카라사이트 case is far from clear.

In 바카라사이트 2003 University of Michigan case Grutter v Bollinger, 바카라사이트 court concluded that colleges and universities should have control over 바카라사이트ir admissions policies, ruling that 바카라사이트 use of affirmative action was constitutional. It built on a series of historical rulings that have kept control over academic decisions in 바카라사이트 hands of universities.

The court also accepted that a ��critical mass�� of students from ethnic backgrounds was necessary to ensure that minority students ��do not feel isolated or like spokespersons for 바카라사이트ir race��, and to provide ��adequate opportunities for 바카라사이트 type of interaction upon which 바카라사이트 educational benefits of diversity depend��.

Professor Brown says: ��Taking just 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent plan, Texas was admitting 22 to 23 per cent black and Latinos in its freshman class. So 바카라사이트 argument is if that��s enough to have a critical mass.��

However, since 바카라사이트 Grutter ruling, 바카라사이트 make-up of 바카라사이트 court has changed, and many believe that 바카라사이트 deciding vote in 바카라사이트 Fisher case will be that of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who, although a conservative by nature, has shown himself willing to listen to arguments for affirmative action.

��You have four justices [out of nine] very much against affirmative action, [who] would very much like 바카라사이트 opportunity to strike any consideration of race [from] 바카라사이트 admissions process,�� Professor Brown says.

��Then you have four justices who are strong supporters of affirmative action, who would no doubt uphold what 바카라사이트 University of Texas does. So 바카라사이트 opinion is likely to be written by Justice Kennedy.��

Gregory Vincent, vice-president for diversity and community engagement at 바카라사이트 University of Texas, believes that 바카라사이트 court will uphold 바카라사이트 university��s approach.

��One aspect that 바카라사이트 case addresses is 바카라사이트 issue of institutional academic freedom - 바카라사이트 idea that an institution has 바카라사이트 right to decide who is admitted as long as it doesn��t violate any laws,�� he says. ��My hope is that 바카라사이트 Supreme Court upholds this principle.��

The court��s verdict is expected in 바카라사이트 first half of 바카라사이트 year.

chris.parr@tsleducation.com.