Many universities have been in limbo after a controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the use of race in admissions policies, but UNC has now come under fire for its practices by a nonprofit legal association.
UNC was one of three universities targeted by the Project on Fair Representation Monday, calling into question the role of race in the University’s admissions policies. The three websites at the center of the campaign suggest UNC, along with Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison , rejected applicants because of their race.
“For UNC to continue using (racial) preferences is unfair, unconstitutional and is harming all students, regardless of race,” said Edward Blum, director of the Project on Fair Representation, in an email.
The group represented Abigail Fisher in a Supreme Court case against the University of Texas at Austin in which Fisher, a white woman, claimed she was denied admission to the school as a result of affirmative action policies that granted acceptance to less-qualified minority students.
The case ended ambiguously in June when the Court decided to send the case back down to the lower courts, creating confusion surrounding affirmative action policies.
“The justices wrote that schools must try to achieve diversity by a ‘race-neutral means’ before using preferences,” Blum said. “All three schools have not followed this principle.”
Steve Farmer, vice provost of enrollment and undergraduate admissions at UNC, said race is one of many factors considered when evaluating an applicant to UNC and one that is used sparingly.
“We consider the ways in which each candidate can contribute to the academic environment here and also how each candidate can contribute to the diversity,” he said.
UNC law professor Charles Daye said the Fisher decision established that a reviewing court must determine if race-conscious admissions policies are necessary to achieving diversity.