Statement by President Eanes on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling

Statement by President Johnson Eanes on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Regarding Race-Conscious Admissions in Higher Education

For many years, American law has permitted the limited use of race in admissions in the interests of advancing the critical goal of establishing true diversity in our colleges and universities.  Today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court places new barriers to that goal, and will inevitably slow our nation’s progress towards achieving equity. This decision fails to acknowledge the historic inequities that continue to undergird systemic discrimination. The damaging reverberations of this decision will echo throughout society, as education is the great equalizer and the pathway to social and economic mobility.

York College is a bastion of diversity, with the majority of students being Black, Latino and Asian Pacific Islanders. In addition to English, the top five languages that our students speak are Spanish, Bengali, Chinese, Creole, and Urdu and more than 60% of our 2023 graduates are the first in their family to earn a college degree. Diversity is our strength and the nation’s future. Building a more just and equitable society is critical to forging a more representative democracy. At a time when the nation is at an inflection point, we must continue to do everything we can to set in motion fair and equitable policies to carve a path to the American Dream.

We will not be deterred. We will do everything we can to continue to ensure that an outstanding and affordable education is the province of all.

For Your Reference:

Statement by Chancellor Matos Rodríguez on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Barring Race-Conscious Admissions in Higher Education