The Biden administration is urging colleges and universities in the United States to boost their efforts to promote diversity on campuses. The call comes following a recent Supreme Court decision that prohibits colleges from considering the race of applicants in the admission process. The Department of Education issued a report on Thursday outlining strategies to increase diversity, including enhancing scholarships and minority recruitment, and placing significant emphasis on the challenges students face due to their race or financial circumstances.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called on state and local education leaders to dismantle barriers for underserved students and reimagine pathways to higher education. The guidance provided in the report is a suggestion and does not hold any binding authority. The federal government possesses limited power to impose demands on colleges and universities without the enactment of new federal rules or legislation.
The report aligns with a letter issued in August by the Departments of Education and Justice, clarifying that colleges can continue their efforts to admit diverse student bodies within the boundaries set by the Supreme Court decision. The report encourages colleges to intensify their recruitment of students of color, suggesting focused outreach in areas with high concentrations of such students and low-income families. It also recommends that colleges admit more transfer students from community colleges, which tend to enroll higher numbers of Black and Latino students.
Furthermore, the report emphasizes the importance of providing more financial aid based on students’ financial need and advocates for simplifying and increasing the transparency of college application forms. Notably, the administration urges colleges to consider adversity faced by students, including racial discrimination, when assessing applicants. While opponents criticize this as a loophole to indirectly consider race, some colleges have already incorporated application essays addressing adversity or overcoming challenges, providing an opportunity for students to discuss their racial background voluntarily.
The report acknowledges that measuring adversity is challenging but suggests that admissions offices consider an applicant’s neighborhood or high school to contextualize their achievements. It also encourages colleges to assess whether a student has experienced discrimination, which can be conveyed through essays, interviews, and letters of recommendation.
The Biden administration’s push for increased diversity in higher education comes as Republicans in Congress express vigilance towards colleges that may defy the Supreme Court’s decision. Affirmative action has been highlighted as a policy that balances out discriminatory factors in the admissions process, countering preferential treatment for the wealthy, such as legacy admissions.
In conclusion, the Biden administration is calling on colleges and universities to redouble their efforts in promoting diversity on campuses. While the guidance provided in the report does not carry legal authority, it aims to support colleges in advancing diversity while respecting the recent Supreme Court decision. By emphasizing scholarships, minority recruitment, and considering the adversity students face due to their race or finances, the administration seeks to break down barriers for underserved students and create a more inclusive educational environment.
