U-M admission policies to remain unchanged after court’s ruling

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The university will not make any changes to admissions policies after Tuesday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding Proposal 2 of 2006, because U-M policies already are consistent with the state’s ban on the consideration of race in college admissions.

The court ruled 6-2 that Proposal 2 was constitutional. The ruling came in the case of Schuette, Attorney General of Michigan v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigration Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) et al.

In a statement, President Mary Sue Coleman and Provost Martha E. Pollack said:

“Our students and campus community have been working through very challenging issues this academic year in an important dialogue about race and diversity on campus. Our collective aspiration for a more and truly diverse campus will not waver.

“Despite this decision from the Supreme Court, the University of Michigan remains deeply committed to using every legal tool at our disposal to bring together a diverse study body.

“Today’s ruling has no immediate effect on our admissions policies, which already are consistent with Proposal 2 of 2006.

“We have much work to do in this area and we are dedicated to moving forward. We will continue to pursue all legally compliant avenues to ensure that our campuses are diverse in all the many definitions of that term.”

In his controlling opinion, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote, “This case is not about how the debate about racial preferences should be resolved. It is about who may resolve it. There is no authority in the Constitution of the United States or in this court’s precedents for the judiciary to set aside Michigan laws that commit this policy determination to the voters.”

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. joined Kennedy in his opinion.

The Supreme Court decision reverses the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals’ 2013 finding that Proposal 2 of 2006 was unconstitutional. 

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  1. Anthony Rutledge
    on April 24, 2014 at 12:09 pm

    The university will not make any changes to admissions policies after Tuesday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding Proposal 2 of 2006, because U-M policies already are consistent with the state’s ban on the consideration of race in college admissions.

    Correction.

    The university will not make any changes to admissions policies after Tuesday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding Proposal 2 of 2006, because U-M policies already are consistent with the state’s ban on the consideration of sex and race in college admissions.

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