Supreme Court rules affirmative action unconstitutional, Pitt administration responds

Educational leaders around the country, including Provost Ann Cudd, have responded to the Supreme Court’s striking down of the use of affirmative action in college admissions. 

In a 6-3 ruling on Thursday, the six conservative judges struck down the process of affirmative action, which is a “set of procedures designed to; eliminate unlawful discrimination among applicants, remedy the results of such prior discrimination, and prevent such discrimination in the future.” 

The ruling determined that universities will no longer be able to take race into consideration when deciding who to admit, with Chief Justice Roberts writing for the majority and saying affirmative action cases at Harvard and UNC “lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points.”   

All universities that receive federal funding, including Pitt, will have to adhere to this ruling. In a statement released on Thursday, Provost Cudd emphasized the role diversity will continue to play in Pitt’s admissions processes. 

“The University of Pittsburgh’s mission is to improve lives through education and knowledge,” Cudd said. “We believe that all of our students can and should benefit from this mission and that diversity, in all its forms, enhances our individual and shared success and improves the educational experience. In the wake of today’s ruling, these guiding principles remain unchanged, and we are evaluating our admission practices to ensure that they continue to be inclusive, fair, and fully compliant with the law.”