In this episode, we present the “Affirmative Action and the Supreme Court: What’s at Stake?” panel that took place Oct. 13, during the 48th American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (AAAED) National Conference & Annual Meeting — themed Building an Infrastructure for Equitable and Sustainable Change.

Moderated by your host Dr. Jamal Watson, the panel discusses the latest challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court against race-conscious admission policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University. Could the rulings in these cases effectively lead to the end of affirmative action in higher education as we know it? And what would that mean for other racial equity work being done?

PANELISTS:

David Hinojosa, Director of Education Opportunities Project Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Theodore M. Shaw, Julius L. Chambers Distinguished Professor of Law & Director of the UNC Center for Civil Rights, UNC School of Law

Carol R. Ashley, Of Counsel, Jackson Lewis PC

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KEY POINTS:

• What is threatened by the potential decision to end affirmative action?
• Are DEI and affirmative action the same?
• Can you separate race from a student?
• How to support race-conscious admissions in higher education
• Should the focus be on socioeconomic status rather than race?

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QUOTABLES:

“The notion of no longer needing to include race-conscious measures or pursue them is really a remedial notion.”

“Affirmative action is not the silver bullet. It's not going to resolve all the inequities. But it's incredibly important, given the history and legacy of this country's own denial of opportunity equal opportunity for all.”

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OTHER RESOURCES:

AAAED 48th Annual Conference

The Debate About Critical Race Theory - Implications for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace, sponsored by the Fund for Leadership, Equity, Access and Diversity (LEAD Fund) | (diverseeducation.com)

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In The Margins is produced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com)