NY schools seek diversity solutions post affirmative action reversal

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to ban affirmative action in admission practices, few schools in Upstate New York have released their racial and ethnic data for the Class of 2028. Cornell University’s enrollment data showed a decline in minority student enrollment, illustrating ongoing national trends.  

As a result, many university leaders have begun brainstorming potential solutions to achieve racial diversity on campus without the help of affirmative action. 

The Class of 2028 has become the first class since 1961 to enter the college admissions process without affirmative action in place, a program that allowed schools to consider race as a part of the admissions process. 

The Cornell Daily Sun reported in September that between the Class of 2027 and the Class of 2028, Black student enrollment at Cornell dropped from 11.7% to 7.7%, and Hispanic student enrollment dropped from 16.7% to 10.5%. Comparably, white student enrollment decreased from 48.5% to 47.4% from the Class of 2027 to the Class of 2028.

Other private universities in West Central, New York, like Colgate, Ithaca, Syracuse and Le Moyne, are among the many that have not yet chosen to release their demographic data for their freshman class. 

“The decision from the Supreme Court was definitely devastating,” the Chair of the Diversity Committee at SUNY Oswego, Dr. Ritu Radhakrishnan said. “I didn’t think [the drop in numbers] would be that high.” 

One solution Dr. Radhakrishnan proposed was for universities to hire more diverse academic advisors, faculty and staff members to help campuses feel more inclusive and welcoming toward all students.  

In response to the potential consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and the Board of Trustees released a statement, referring to the verdict as an “egregious ruling,” ensuring that their “commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion will continue to be a factor in every goal [they] pursue.” 

State University of New York (SUNY), the largest university system in the country, has not yet released the racial and ethnic data of its new class for any location.

Across the state, SUNY schools are already implementing plans to help mitigate some of the effects of affirmative action. At SUNY-ESF, an Inclusion & Diversity Fund helps finance diversity initiatives campus-wide, including programs that help promote academic success for students from underrepresented backgrounds and identities. 

Likewise, Janese Fayson, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Student Association at Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF, says creating a joint Affirmative Action Advisory Council is on her radar for the coming year.

“SUNY-ESF already has so many good resources for BIPOC students on campus, and they don’t get it recognized enough,” Fayson said. “This advisory board will definitely have ESF representatives to give insight.”   

According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, SUNY Oswego’s university president, part of their university president’s strategic plan includes implementing the diversity committee’s suggestions to diversify university staff.  

Race-based scholarships are another aspect to consider when discussing how this ban will affect minority enrollment. While the Supreme Court verdict did not ban affirmative action within the financial aid process, some universities are choosing to do away with it regardless. 

In the past, several conservative lawmakers have come out to say the Supreme Court’s ruling should apply to all race-based practices at universities and colleges, even though the original ruling does not explicitly address race-based aids or awards.

Following the election, with Republicans winning control of Congress and the Supreme Court’s current conservative standing, the future of higher education is unknown. 

“There are initiatives across the SUNY system,” Dr. Radhakrishnan said. “There is an understanding that this is important. There might be different ways of thinking about how this is important, but the idea is that diversity is still important.”