USF assesses impact of Supreme Court affirmative action ruling
SAN FRANCISCO - The latest Supreme Court ruling will impact the way private universities select students, but University of San Francisco President Paul Fitzgerald wants to build an even more diverse student body on campus.
"It seems to declare victory in racial justice that we have not yet achieved. We still have a long ways to go as a nation," said Fitzgerald.
If there's no check-box for race in applications in the near future, Fitzgerald believes universities may implement additional essays, could ask students to 'tell more about themselves'.
USF is ranked second in the nation for student ethnic diversity, according to the latest U.S. News and World Report. That's part of the reason Damion Gunter enrolled.
"I think affirmative action helps a lot of people in states like where I'm from, the state of Texas," said Gunter.
Jason Xu is President of the Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation, which opposes affirmative action policies.
"We removed systemic discrimination in the policies of this country against Asians. I think it's more significant in the sense that we have keep intact a merit-based system," said Xu.
But Bill Hing, a prominent professor of law at USF, strongly disagrees.
"I'm disappointed because the data does not support Asian Americans who claim that they are being damaged by affirmative action program," said Hing.
Hing believes Asians, like himself, have and will continue to benefit from affirmative action.
"I've been an educator since the 70's. I can tell you that the classroom, the level of discussion is much better when there's a when there's a diverse group. I just think it's wrong headed," said Hing.
Fitzgerald says USF hasn't finalized any plans for changing the admissions process, but discussions on how to respond have begun.
"Higher education has been and ought to continue to be an engine driving this country toward the fulfillment of the promises of our foundation," said Fitzgerald.
According to a recent Pew Research Center report, half of Americans do not support colleges and universities taking race and ethnicity into account in admissions decisions, while one-third approve of the practice.