Fisher v. University Of Texas At Austin Ruling Leaves Universities In Limbo
After months of waiting for the Supreme Court to issue a sweeping ruling on affirmative action in the Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin case, universities and education groups are trying to make sense of Monday'sdecision.
"In a way, it was really a decision about the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 5th Circuit and not about affirmative action," said Catharine Hill, the president of Vassar College in upstate New York. "It just means the discussion is going to continue ... It starts the clock over again."
The court on Monday issued a 13-page opinion that did little to change existing law with regard to the use of race as a criterion in university admissions. In a 7-1 majority opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the
"In a way, it was really a decision about the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 5th Circuit and not about affirmative action," said Catharine Hill, the president of Vassar College in upstate New York. "It just means the discussion is going to continue ... It starts the clock over again."
The court on Monday issued a 13-page opinion that did little to change existing law with regard to the use of race as a criterion in university admissions. In a 7-1 majority opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the
Fisher v. University Of Texas At Austin Decision: Lee Bollinger Sees Namesake Precedent Still Standing
NEW YORK -- During his tenure as president of the University of Michigan, Lee Bollinger's name became attached, for better or worse, with two of the key cases defining affirmative action in America's schools.
Bollinger, who now heads Columbia University, faced off against the plaintiffs in Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger, the 2003 Supreme Court decisions that restricted but ultimately upheld a college's right to take racial consideration into account when making admissions decisions. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote in Grutter that "underrepresented minority groups" could be favored in such decisions if race was not the only factor considered and if the system didn't amount to quotas.
So recently, Bollinger watched with caution as Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin wound its way through the court system. In 2008, Abigail Fisher sued UT-Austin, arguing that it had discriminated against her as a white
Bollinger, who now heads Columbia University, faced off against the plaintiffs in Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger, the 2003 Supreme Court decisions that restricted but ultimately upheld a college's right to take racial consideration into account when making admissions decisions. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote in Grutter that "underrepresented minority groups" could be favored in such decisions if race was not the only factor considered and if the system didn't amount to quotas.
So recently, Bollinger watched with caution as Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin wound its way through the court system. In 2008, Abigail Fisher sued UT-Austin, arguing that it had discriminated against her as a white
