Following are statements from University of Colorado at Boulder Chancellor Richard L. Byyny and Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Equity Ofelia Miramontes regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the use of affirmative action in college admissions.
The Supreme Court upheld the University of Michigan's affirmative action policy in law school admissions and ruled that the University of Michigan's point system, which considers race as a factor in undergraduate admissions, is unconstitutional.
Additional information on CU-Boulder campus experts and policies can be found on the Web at .
Chancellor Richard L. Byyny:
"We commend the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the belief that the government has a compelling interest in the pursuit of racial and ethnic diversity in higher education in the University of Michigan law school case. We believe that diversity is essential to the educational mission of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and it is the policy of the faculty and administration that a diverse student body is a vital element of academic excellence.
"There is an impressive body of research that has accumulated in recent years which demonstrates that experience with diversity both inside and outside the classroom leads to important educational benefits for all students -- both minority and majority. Research also demonstrates that race-conscious policies are far more effective than race-neutral policies in promoting educational diversity. If higher education is to remain accessible to all, admissions policies that consider race as one of many factors must continue.
"The only numeric formula in the admissions process that is used at CU-Boulder is the one that is part of the statewide admissions standards as defined by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. This formula is used to tier all of the public higher education institutions in the state in regard to the quality of students that each institution can admit. It is calculated only on the basis of high grade-point average or rank and SAT or ACT test scores, and does not take any personal attributes of a student into account. In addition to academics, we consider a variety of factors, including race and ethnic origin, gender, first in a family to attend college, geography, socioeconomic status, athletic ability and special talents, leadership, service and alumni relationships. Every student who is admitted to the University of Colorado at Boulder is fully qualified and expected to succeed."
Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Equity Ofelia Miramontes:
"The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling supporting diversity in higher education is a momentous decision for the University of Colorado at Boulder. I am very pleased that we have the legal principles in place to continue our aggressive pursuit of a richly diverse campus environment that is welcoming to all people.
"We continually work to broaden access for students to the university, particularly the citizens of Colorado. Â鶹ÒùÔº live with and learn from people of many backgrounds. Our goals at CU-Boulder are to build a campus community that reflects the variety of communities in our state, and to create a community that sustains and supports a good learning environment for all students. As a public institution we have a responsibility to serve the diverse populations of Colorado, and we work hard to ensure that we reflect a broad, representative spectrum of our various communities.
"This is a great day for universities in Colorado and across the nation and I applaud the Justices for their decision."
School of Law Dean David Getches:
"The CU Law School has benefited from having a student body that is not only highly qualified academically, but that represents a diversity of racial, cultural, economic and professional backgrounds. Each candidate for admission is considered individually, and personal qualities are carefully weighed; diversity is a plus. This is similar to the process used at Michigan Law School. The Supreme Court's decision reaffirms that our admissions process is appropriate.
"True diversity is more than a slogan and it takes more than token statistics to achieve. It reflects an attitude that insists on thinking broadly and questioning entrenched assumptions. That attitude is essential to a good legal education and it enables us to gain synergy from the variety of our racial, cultural and economic backgrounds and experiences."
For more information on the campus response to the court's decision, contact Provost Phil DiStefano, (303) 492-5537; Associate Vice Chancellor Ofelia Miramontes, (303) 735-2890; Executive Director of Admissions Barb Schneider, (303) 492-6694; Law Professor Robert Nagel (303) 492-8428; or media specialists Monteith Mitchell, University Communications, (303) 492-5526, and Dirk Martin, News Services Office, (303) 492-3140.
For more information on the law school response to the court's decision, contact David Getches at (303) 492-7377 (office), (303) 492-3084 (assistant Jeannie Patton); Professor Emily Calhoun, (303) 492-7592 (office), (303) 442-8469 (home); or media specialist Dirk Martin, News Services Office, (303) 492-3140.