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St. Cloud State University
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Commentary
What Supreme Court decision?
Published:
Thursday, June 26, 2003
The United States Supreme Court made what is being described as a landmark decision Monday regarding affirmative action policies in university admissions. But will this decision be marking a step forward for universities or merely another step backward?
In this "landmark decision," the court stuck down a point system previously employed by the University of Michigan. The court found that awarding "points" based on ethnicity is unconstitutional. This, would be a definite step forward.
However, the court also upheld that ethnicity may be subject to consideration during the admissions process on a case-by-case basis. While this decision is far less insulting to minorities than the the old point system, it is not necessarily a step in the right direction when it could result in reverse discrimination.
In his dissent of the court's ruling, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas pointed out that using affirmative action in admissions policies is a double standard. If minority students were given extra hurdles in the admission process, people everywhere would decry how unfair and racist such policies were. Yet in reverse - the way the current system works - students of certain ethnic backgrounds may have an easier time gaining admission to a college. While the student in the latter example has a much better chance of getting into college, the underlying emphasis on race -and some would say racism - is the same.
Ironically enough, SCSU, which is constantly under scrutiny for its affirmative action policies, seems to already have fair admissions practices in order and will be virtually unaffected by the court's decisions.
At SCSU, academic criteria is the basis for admission.
Any information prospective students submit referring to race, religion, or sex is not allowed on the application for admission. In addition, when the information is collected, it is used only in the preliminary phases of admission to provide these students with appropriate scholarship and financial aid information.
Once the application is formally entered, all of that private personal information is blocked by the admissions computer. This is to ensure that factors such as race do not influence the admissions decision.
Secondary educational institutions were formed with a single purpose: to continue the educational process. Since they were founded on the ideals of academic achievement and knowledge it makes sense that the way of assessing prospective students be through those means.
Allowing race to play a part in college admission at all is undermining and demeaning to these educational institutions and to the individuals that apply to attend them.
Justice Thomas quoted famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass in his dissent, and what he wrote rings true for all people. What people need isn't benevolence, pity or sympathy. They need justice. Otherwise those who have lived up to their true capabilities will go punished and those who have not will live a life unchallenged.
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