The hosted a Wednesday evening event at which panelists addressed affirmative action and anti-discrimination policies in the college admissions process. Titled 鈥淎fter Affirmative Action: Democracy and the University,鈥� the event constitutes another component of an ongoing national discussion of affirmative action following the Supreme Court鈥檚 2023 on race-conscious admissions.
Organized by the Center鈥檚 , the panel featured John Friedman, a professor of economics and international and public affairs; Logan Powell, the University鈥檚 associate provost for enrollment and dean of admission; and Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University.
Bonnie Honig, a Democracy Project director and professor of political science and modern culture and media, moderated the panel.
Honig began the panel by explaining the rationale for the event: 鈥渢o look at how universities that care about diversity and equality should respond to (the Supreme Court) decision,鈥� Students Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College.
鈥淯niversities are important parts of the democratic landscape,鈥� Honig added. 鈥淭he court decision on affirmative action from the perspective of democracy and democratic theory is part of a larger struggle in the U.S. right now over education, democratic values and the limits and reach of state power.鈥�
Honig went on to cite in Virginia over critical race theory and anti-LGBTQ+ in Florida, as 鈥渄evelopments that share one goal: to cultivate mistrust in institutions of higher education.鈥�
Powell began his portion of the panel by emphasizing the principle of 鈥渞acial diversity in classrooms鈥� as crucial for the 鈥渇oundational growth of students who contribute to society.鈥� He went on to explain the implications of the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision on the University鈥檚 admissions policies.
Powell pointed to a quote from Chief Justice John Roberts鈥� majority opinion in SFFA v. Harvard: 鈥淣othing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant鈥檚 discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we had been doing at Brown all along 鈥� Race in and of itself was never the reason an applicant was admitted, denied (or) waitlisted,鈥� Powell said.
Powell also highlighted the addition of new short answer essays that allow applicants to 鈥渢alk about their background, their lived experience (and) experiences with inspiration, courage, leadership, etc.鈥� These additions come as the SFFA case has eliminated the ability for admissions officers to view applicants鈥� selected races and ethnicities on the Common App portal, he said.
Finally, Powell lamented the impact of the decision on applicants, 鈥渨ho 鈥� in some cases 鈥� don't want to relive the trauma of discrimination,鈥� he said. Applicants may 鈥渨ant to tell stories of hope and joy and excellence, but (could) feel compelled to talk about painful experiences鈥� instead.
Roth discussed how Wesleyan University has attempted to 鈥渁chieve diversity鈥� in 鈥渢he absence of affirmative action.鈥� The school ended legacy admissions in July 2023, a decision Roth said was motivated by the desire 鈥渢o send a signal to Black and brown students in particular that we value diversity.鈥�
Roth highlighted a focus on supporting economically disadvantaged schools, noting Wesleyan鈥檚 with the National Education Equity Foundation, 鈥渨hich offers credit-bearing courses in Title I high-poverty high schools,鈥� he said.
But he also warned that 鈥渢here are really good reasons to be suspicious about affirmative action.鈥�
鈥淚t shows that places like (Wesleyan) and (Brown) do not have intellectual diversity at the level that allows us to really learn ideas,鈥� he said. Noting Brown鈥檚 progressive-leaning student body, Roth asked, 鈥淲ho is going to bring to you (the) intelligent conservative ideas and mores that may not fly in Brooklyn Heights?鈥�
Friedman highlighted the power of admissions officers in shaping the 鈥渢rajectory鈥� of applicants鈥� lives. 鈥淲e 鈥� are now like the gatekeepers to who gets access to this enormous boost in your life trajectory,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to think about who is getting that boost.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 an enormous amount of evidence about how, depending on the circumstances of your birth, there are very unequal life trajectories,鈥� he added, noting that race and socioeconomic status are particularly relevant in determining that trajectory.
Following the opening remarks from the panelists, the event progressed into an hour-long question-and-answer session.
One audience member asked about the implications of replacing consideration of race with consideration of socioeconomic status as a method of introducing diversity.
Differences in life trajectories across racial lines persist 鈥渆ven when you look at people who have the same level of income or education,鈥� Friedman responded.
鈥淛ust (to give) an example, children of Black millionaires are to end up in prison at age 30 than the children of white families earning, like, $50,000 a year,鈥� he said.
Another audience member asked how admissions policies at elite universities could put pressure on wealthier families which, they observed, tend to prefer private schools instead of the public educational system.
鈥淲esleyan works extra hard to find public school graduates so that we have less of a disproportionate student body from private schools,鈥� Roth responded. 鈥淭hat (sends) a signal to parents 鈥� 鈥榳ell, if you want to get into Brown or Wesleyan, then you want to go to the local school, rather than to go to private school.鈥欌��
But Powell highlighted another factor: 鈥淲ho made the decision for the student to go to the school?鈥� he said. 鈥淪hould we hold it against a student if a parent chose to live in a particular place or to send them to a particular school?鈥�
鈥淲e're sensitive to that as well,鈥� he added.
Other attendees asked about differences in educational investment between communities, the importance of intellectual diversity in admissions and the impact of affirmative action on Asian American students.
Alex Shieh 鈥�27 attended the event because of his interest in affirmative action, as well as the different perspectives offered by the panel. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to 鈥� hear different perspectives to inform your own,鈥� he said.
Shieh asked the panel about the role of Asian American students in affirmative action policies. 鈥淚 think a lot of times in the affirmative action debate, there is a lot more focus on African Americans and white students,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is important to focus on how this affects everyone.鈥� Shieh also said he wished there were more people opposed to affirmative action represented on the panel.
Nathan Seelig 鈥�27 found particular interest in the discussion of standardized test scores and their prediction of college success, a relationship explored in a new Opportunity Insights study led by Friedman, The Herald previously reported.
Seelig found Friedman鈥檚 point that data from 鈥渢he SAT is not necessarily the means of injustice, or something that creates bias, but rather it reflects bias and injustice in society,鈥� especially interesting, he said.
Curious about how Brown addresses 鈥渜uestions of meritocracy and equity,鈥� Daniel Schiffman 鈥�27 came to the event to learn about how admissions has shifted its policies. He also noted the panel鈥檚 focus on the issue of diversity and the various ways it applies to the admissions process.
Diversity remains at the forefront of discussions surrounding affirmative action and the future of admissions in higher education.
鈥淲e are committed, as an institution and as an office of college admission, to the values of the University,鈥� Powell said. These values are 鈥渢o build diverse classes of students 鈥� diversity as broadly defined as possible 鈥� with a focus on academic excellence.鈥�
Tom Li is a Metro Editor covering the Health & Environment and Development & Infrastructure beats. He is from Pleasanton, California, and is concentrating in Economics and International & Public Affairs. He is an avid RIPTA passenger and enjoys taking (and criticizing) personality tests in his free time.
Sophia Wotman is a Senior Staff Writer covering the Affinity & Activism beat under University 国产偷拍. She is a sophomore from Long Island, New York studying Political Science and Music with an interest in women鈥檚 rights. She is a jazz trumpet player, and you鈥檒l often find her performing on campus and around Providence.
