University of Minnesota to no longer consider race, legacy, or university employment in admissions
MINNEAPOLIS -- Following the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court ending affirmative action in higher education, the University of Minnesota updated their policy to no longer consider race, ethnicity, legacy, or employment at the university as a factor of admission.
The Supreme Court ruling last month overturned a decades-long precedent that is shifting the way universities enroll applicants across the country. Race-conscious admission policies at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina "cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause," Chief Justice Roberts argued in the majority opinion.
The University of Minnesota said it made the decision to no longer consider race, family attendance, or employment in light of the ruling and after a standard annual review.
The university uses what they call a "holistic review" process that includes a combination of academic and "context" factors that "takes into consideration the individual circumstances that make each individual student unique."
The admissions department considers evidence of overcoming social, economic, or physical barriers, as well as whether an applicant is a first-generation college student. Extracurricular activities, personal accomplishments, and community service are also factors.
The application does ask for optional information for recruitment and communication about programs the university offers. That information, however, will not be provided to application reviewers.
Since the ruling, activists have sued Harvard for its use of legacy admissions, arguing that it gives an unfair boost to mostly white children of alumni. Records revealed through the Supreme Court case indicated that 70% of Harvard's donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and being a legacy student makes an applicant roughly six times more likely to be admitted.
Note: The above video first aired on June 29.