Local universities react to Supreme Court ruling that limits race as factor in college admissions

PITTSBURGH — Leaders at colleges and universities here and around the country are now looking for new ways to create a diverse student body.

Thursday, the United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions.

Students at the University of Pittsburgh said they were surprised by this decision. 11 News also checked in with other local universities to see how this impacts their admissions process.

“The race part of your application shouldn’t really matter that much, you should stand out because of you as a person and your accomplishments, but other people are like, ‘OK, this is so unfair to any other race other than white people,’” said Ananya Chakravarthi, a student at Pitt.

Universities in and around Pittsburgh are starting to react, with the University of Pittsburgh releasing a statement that says diversity enhances success and improves the educational experience.

Plus — their principles remain unchanged and are evaluating the admission practices to ensure they continue to be inclusive, fair, and compliant with the law.

Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne had similar responses.

“I don’t believe it should have been overruled,” said Savannah Lemon, a Pitt student. “I think that it’s fair for people who come from lower-income communities and they are already at a disadvantage to have the opportunity to have the same education as those who had better resources than them growing up.”

Political science expert Kristin Kanthak does think the ruling could play a part in the future of diversity in colleges.

“I think that’s something that higher education needs to take seriously. And needs to do outreach,” Kanthak said.

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