University of North Carolina at Center Of Affirmative Action Supreme Court Case
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 31: Proponents for affirmative action in higher education rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court before oral arguments in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina on October 31, 2022 in Washington, DC. The conservative Supreme Court will hear arguments for the two cases concerning the consideration of race as one factor in college admission at the two elite universities, which will have an effect on most institutions of higher education in the United States.
You may not be checking the race box on applications much longer. The Supreme Court is taking up a case that could determine the future of affirmative action in college admissions. Two cases will be argued Monday involving affirmative action, the race-conscious admissions policy, at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. The Court has upheld similar cases in the past. However, the current 6-3 conservative majority could mean a different result this time around. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the Court’s newest justice, has recused herself from the Harvard case. This is due to her connections to the university. Jackson attended Harvard Law School.
What Is Affirmative Action?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, affirmative action (in the context of the allocation of resources or employment) is the practice or policy of favoring individuals belonging to groups known to have been discriminated against previously.
The Lawsuit
According to News 5 WCYB, the cases originated from lawsuits brought by Edward Blum and a group called Students for Fair Admissions. They argue that schools can achieve diversity without focusing on race. This includes focusing on things like socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors. Meanwhile, the article states that the universities feel that without using race (which they claim to do sparingly) it would be hard to have a student body “as diverse as America”.
All eyes will be on the University of North Carolina and affirmative action Monday. It will be interesting to see what the court will do in this case. Affirmative action has been upheld previously by the Supreme Court. It will also be interesting to see if the court does find the practice unconstitutional will this have repercussions beyond college admissions.
List: The Best Colleges In North Carolina According To US News
What are the best colleges in North Carolina? There’s no perfect college because no one student wants or needs the exact same things. What makes a particular academic institution stand out to one person may be exactly what another doesn’t want. And choosing which school that is can be a daunting task. Even creating a list of universities to visit and apply to can be overwhelming. That’s why U.S. News creates its Best Colleges rankings each year. And last year they released their rankings for 2022-2023.
To create these rankings U.S. News analyzed over 1,850 colleges and placed them in four overall ranking categories. These include National Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. The rankings in each category are based on factors that are indicative of academic quality. This includes such metrics as graduation rates and faculty resources.
Best Colleges In North Carolina
So back to North Carolina. We’ve got some major recognizable names when it comes to universities. In, fact, in the sports world North Carolina has 4 undefeated college football teams right now 3 weeks into the season. Like many states, sports are a big driver for many of the dozens of colleges and universities across the state of North Carolina. It was a huge factor in my college selection. One that was the best decision I ever made. But returning to academics, North Carolina has options of all sizes including large research universities, midsize colleges, and small private liberal arts colleges. You can choose an institution in a big city, a small town, the mountains, or the beach.
Returning to college football for a moment, coincidental the top 4 national universities in North Carolina are those same 4 teams that are undefeated right now. Another interesting statistic is that our state is home to the number one overall regional university in the south. That’s pretty awesome! Keep reading to see where your school made the list. First, you’ll see the list of North Carolina National Universities, then Liberal Arts, and finally Regional Colleges/Universities.
Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.
