Yet Another University Doubles Down On Diversity Commitments Despite SCOTUS Ruling

Brown University announced on Wednesday its plan to increase diversity on campus despite the Supreme Court’s ruling banning affirmative action admission practices.

The school follows in the University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA) footsteps, which publicized its attempts to skirt the Court’s ruling in ways that may open it up to lawsuits, some experts believe. Brown’s methods include stationing recruitment officers across the country, activating the university’s alumni network for outreach efforts and creating “targeted communications campaigns,” according to a news release.

“In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that greatly limited any consideration of race in admission decisions, Brown remains committed to complying with the law while fostering a diverse and inclusive community as integral to our mission of academic excellence,” provost Francis J. Doyle III and interim vice president for Institutional Equity and Diversity Patricia Poitevien wrote in a statement. “With a focus on recruitment, matriculation and retention of a diverse community of students, the University has developed a set of concrete actions focused on ensuring a robust pool of highly qualified diverse students apply to Brown and, once admitted, have access to the resources they need to enroll.”

The Supreme Court in 2023 ruled affirmative action admission policies to be unconstitutional after the Students for Fair Admissions accused them of unfairly discriminating against Asian students, an argument that was substantiated when Asian enrollment at Brown and many other universities significantly increased in the first year following the ban. Asian students made up approximately 33% of Brown’s student body in 2024 compared to 29% in 2023.