Washington, DC – SEARAC applauds the ruling by the US District Court in Massachusetts to uphold race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University. The lawsuit against Harvard was an attack on diversity that pitted Asian Americans as a wedge group to tear down other marginalized groups. The federal court’s decision affirms race-conscious admissions policies as valid methods to consider the entirety of a student’s qualities and potential, provide underserved and marginalized students with a fair shot, and ensure diverse campuses where students can learn from each other.

“SEARAC stands with our AAPI community members in defense of educational justice for all students,” said Quyen Dinh, executive director of SEARAC. “Many students of color, including Southeast Asian American students, continue to face systemic barriers to accessing a college degree. Instead of eliminating policies that work to amend historic inequities and discrimination, higher education policies must continue to evaluate students holistically to ensure that everyone gets a fair shot, no matter their background.”