Scott Statement on Biden Administration's Guidance on Race in Admissions

Statement

"Admissions practices that narrowly tailored the use of race as one of many factors in evaluating prospective students were key to fostering diversity in higher education. Such admissions policies not only supported historically underserved students, but research confirmed that diverse campuses also provided all students with a quality, well-rounded education. Regrettably, in June, the Supreme Court's decision to end the consideration of race as a factor in college admissions was a significant setback in our effort to eliminate disparities in access to higher education and ensure diverse learning environments for all students.

As the administration explained, today's guidance can serve as a resource to help colleges and universities understand the Court's decision as they commit to pursue diverse campuses.

In addition to today's guidance, the Department of Education should also fully investigate how race unjustly permeates many other policies and practices in our educational system, as I requested earlier this month. This is important because race-conscious admissions policies were able to provide a counterbalance to factors--such as inequitable K-12 schools, racially biased admissions tests, and developmental and legacy admissions--that have discriminatory impact against students of color.

I am grateful the Biden administration is committed to advancing diversity and opportunity in higher education, and I look forward to continuing to work with them as we deal with the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision."

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