Dear Adelphi Community,
This morning, the Supreme Court issued a decision against Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s use of race-conscious admissions practices. While this ruling will have a widespread impact on the landscape of higher education, I want to take a moment to explain how it affects Adelphi and reiterate our commitment to fostering a diverse and welcoming community for all.
Race-conscious admissions policies have been used for decades by America’s most highly selective universities, which often turn away qualified students. Considering race as one factor in a holistic admissions process allowed them to level the playing field for applicants with less access to resources and educational opportunities than peers who were less likely to be marginalized according to the color of their skin. It helped foster an intentionally diverse community within classrooms and systems not originally recognized for access and inclusivity.
At Adelphi, we accept and welcome all individuals who meet our competitive academic requirements and do not factor race into the admissions process. Thankfully, this means the Supreme Court’s decision will not change how we recruit and enroll talented students from all backgrounds.
Creating a sense of belonging on campus for individuals representing all ethnicities, belief systems and expressions is essential to a transformative learning environment. Welcoming different perspectives, lived experiences and opinions prepares our students for the diverse world in front of them. It is also a key component of our Momentum 2 strategic plan as we provide equal access to the opportunities and support students need to succeed.
Adelphi will continue to expand our recruitment in underrepresented communities and improve access to higher education with innovative strategies. We will add to our campus diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) programming and introduce new academic and co-curricular opportunities to meet every interest. Our commitment to these efforts is stronger now than ever before, despite today’s unfortunate ruling.
In the coming weeks, we will closely follow the case’s implications while furthering Adelphi’s mission to grow our beautifully diverse and connected community.
All the best,
Christine M. Riordan, PhD
President