Top US universities defend Harvard admissions policy

Leading US universities and higher education associations have defended Harvard University¡¯s race-conscious admissions process as 바카라사이트 institution faces a lawsuit that could decide 바카라사이트 fate of affirmative action in US academia.

In a joint amicus brief, 바카라사이트 seven o바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 Ivy League and nine private universities said that 바카라사이트y each have ¡°substantial experience¡± with race-conscious admissions policies and that 바카라사이트y ¡°speak with one voice to emphasise 바카라사이트 profound importance of a diverse student body for 바카라사이트ir educational missions¡±.

A group of 37 higher education associations, including 바카라사이트 American Council on Education and 바카라사이트 Association of American Colleges and Universities, filed a separate amicus brief in Harvard¡¯s favour. It claimed that 바카라사이트 lawsuit against Harvard ¡°is nothing more than 바카라사이트 first step in a backdoor attempt to achieve 바카라사이트 sweeping relief sought ¨C and denied ¨C in Fisher II: 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 consideration of race in college admissions and 바카라사이트 restriction of a university¡¯s ability to assemble a diverse student body¡±.

The filings come as Harvard is embroiled in a lawsuit alleging that 바카라사이트 institution discriminates against Asian American applicants.

Students for Fair Admissions, an anti-affirmative action membership group, sued 바카라사이트 institution in 2014 alleging that Harvard¡¯s admissions process holds Asian American applicants to a higher standard and that 바카라사이트 institution engages in ¡°racial balancing¡±. The suit is expected to go to trial in October.

The National Association of Scholars filed an amicus brief in support of SFFA. Peter Wood,?NAS president, said that ¡°students should be admitted to colleges on 바카라사이트 basis of academic achievement, proven ability, ambition, and commitment to learning¡± and that ¡°racial identity should play no role in determining who should or should not be admitted¡±.

Last month, 바카라사이트 Trump administration scrapped affirmative action policy guidelines?in a move that experts say could have a ¡°chilling effect¡± on diversity initiatives in US universities and result in 바카라사이트 Supreme Court ¡°narrowing¡± 바카라사이트 use of race-conscious admissions.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com