UW-Milwaukee administrators expressed strong support for the Supreme Court's decision in the University of Michigan admissions cases holding that the pursuit of a diverse student body represents a compelling interest for institutions of higher education. The administrators provided perspectives on the University of Michigan cases following the U.S. Supreme Court decisions issued on Monday, June 23.

(For a detailed summary of the decisions, please see the Chronicle of Higher Education .)

"The Supreme Court's decision reinforces UWM's ability to maintain our long-standing commitment to a diverse student body, which enhances the quality of the educational experience," said UWM Chancellor Nancy Zimpher.

"Over the years, we have shown our commitment to this in a number of ways. Our university started its Pre-College Program in the 1960s, and since then has developed numerous innovations, including College for Kids, the Black and Gold Commission focused on enhancing the student experience, and now the Student Success Center. Through these homegrown programs and participation in national programs that include Upward Bound, Talent Search and GEAR-UP, UWM will continue to prepare students for life on and beyond campus."

How, exactly, will the Supreme Court decision influence admissions at UWM? According to UWM Enrollment Services Director Beth Weckmueller, UWM's admission process is different from that at issue in this case, in that UWM "evaluates applicants based on quantifiable academic criteria such as the pattern and quality of high school performance, standardized test scores, and class rank, without specific regard to race or ethnicity."

She said because UWM enrollment is growing, "we still have adequate capacity to offer admission to the vast majority of applicants who meet these criteria. We don't expect that this case will have any immediate impact on our admission operations as it may at other universities. Still, we are very interested in what this case means for our future, and will prepare accordingly."

Monica Rimai, UWM chief legal counsel, said the university's Office of Legal Affairs will closely study the decisions for all implications.

"While both decisions are long and complex," Rimai said, "taken together, the cases stand for the proposition that the pursuit of diversity in higher education represents a sufficiently important component of a university's mission such that race and ethnicity, along with many other factors, may be considered when evaluating an applicant's qualifications for admissions.

"It is particularly noteworthy that a solid majority of the court agreed that diversity in higher education represents a compelling state interest. UWM will continue to read and evaluate the decisions to determine the impact of the cases on this university beyond admissions."

June 23, 2003

In two separate opinions, the Supreme Court today decided that race could be a factor - albeit a limited factor - in college admissions. The Court upheld the University of Michigan Law School's affirmative action program, which allowed for some consideration of race in admissions, but the Court overturned the University of Michigan's undergraduate affirmative action admissions policy, which utilized a point-based applicant evaluation system in which minority candidates received a twenty-point boost. Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Stephen Breyer, who voted with the majority in both cases, proved to be the swing votes on the Court.

When combined, the rulings indicate that government does have a compelling interest in promoting racial diversity on campus but that a point system such as that used by the undergraduate school is not sufficiently narrowly tailored.

• Link to Chronicle of Higher Education Story
• Link to CNN News Story