The head of Kentucky’s higher education system says he remains committed to diversity following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that strikes down affirmative action programs.
A 6-3 decision released Thursday said the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina are unconstitutional. The ruling means schools will have to look for new ways to achieve a diverse student body.
Aaron Thompson is president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, and the first Black person to hold that position. He said race has been only one factor in deciding student admissions across the state.
“We use diversity of income, we use diversity of ethnicity, race, internationalization. We use a variety of things to look at how we create a student body they can learn from.”
Thompson said he’s still reviewing the Supreme Court ruling and will ensure Kentucky universities stay within the law. He added that he doesn’t think the decision will prohibit schools from considering an applicant’s background.
“Our society is a global society. Not all of us look the same, act the same, even speak the same. If colleges don’t set themselves up and take that into consideration and pretend we’re a monolithic group, then we’re not doing what higher learning is calling us to do.”
Supporters of affirmative action point to language in Chief Justice John Roberts’
majority opinion that said schools can still consider how race has impacted a student’s life—something that could be conveyed through an application essay or interview.
Reaction from WKU
Western Kentucky University said Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action programs will not impact its admissions process.
The school’s Co-Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officers, Michael Crowe, Jr. and Molly Kerby, said in an email to faculty and staff Thursday that WKU’s admission policies “are based on an applicant’s academic achievement and do not incorporate demographic characteristics – including race – in determining an applicant’s eligibility for admission. As such, this ruling does not affect the university’s admission practices.”
University spokesperson Jace Lux said admissions counselors are preparing to answer questions by prospective students and family members following the Supreme Court decision.
“I think the important thing is going to just be very clear and to remind individuals that this ruling will not have any bearing on their eligibility to attend WKU,” Lux said.
Following the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, WKU pointed to statistics showing students from underrepresented minority groups in fall of 2022 made up the largest percentage of an incoming class in school history.
