Harvard Reports Slight Decline in Black Students After Affirmative Action Ruling

William Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard, emphasized the university's commitment to promoting diversity, stating, "We have worked very hard for many decades to ensure that students from every background come to Harvard and make a difference to their fellow classmates, the nation, and the world. We will continue to fulfill our mission, even as we continue to follow the law with great care."

Jeannie Park, co-founder of Coalition for a Diverse Harvard, pointed out the challenges posed, saying, "For students of color, drops in their numbers can dramatically affect the campus environment. Harvard must address why it fell short, especially compared to other colleges. Practices such as reinstating test-optional applications and ending legacy and donor preferences must be instituted asap."

Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project, spoke to the potential shifts in admissions strategies after the ruling, stating, "I welcomed the preservation of robust levels of diversity, as colleges will need to explore new paths to achieve their goals while adhering to the law."

Read at time.com