'A lot of folks have a lot of upward mobility with a credential like a Northwestern degree and I think affirmative action has done a great job of sharing that in a way that 100 years ago that wasn't the case,' he said.

'This will significantly impact and stunt the number of diverse and talented students and historically underrepresented students who are going to college and who are able to access opportunities at elite universities,' said counselor Lauren Hurley.Įzra Sergent-Levenhal, a masters student in higher education at Northwestern, said he's hopeful In a fierce dissent, Justice Sonia Sotamayor wrote that the decision 'rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.' The court's conservative majority effectively overturned cases reaching back 45 years in invalidating admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively.Ĭhief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, saying both schools violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment, and therefore must be invalidated. The Supreme Court affirmative action decision will forever change higher education, and academic institutions are now wrestling with the aftermath.ĬHICAGO (WLS) - A divided Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

Fix black screen red alert 2