On August 23, President Shafik broke her silence on the June SCOTUS decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions. 

On Wednesday, new Columbia President Minouche Shafik sent an email to the Columbia student body discussing the recent SCOTUS case ending collegiate affirmative action policies. Her response follows statements by Columbia College Dean Josef Sorrett and Barnard President Laura Rosenbury released on June 29. In her email, Shafik notes that Columbia’s dedication to cultivating a diverse community will continue in light of changes in admissions practices. In that vein, Interim Provost Dennis Mitchell and Columbia deans will convene throughout the Fall 2023 semester “to undertake a high-level review of current admissions policies.” The University will evaluate pipeline and pathway programs, drawing emphasis to local opportunities for students to attend Columbia. 

On June 29, the Supreme Court ruled that race-conscious college admissions practices violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This historic ruling came in response to a case filed by the organization Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 

Email from Columbia President Minouche Shafik to Columbia Students on August 23, 2023 at 2:06 pm:

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community,

As we prepare for a new academic year, I write to update you on next steps as we move forward following the Supreme Court’s decision with respect to affirmative action and admissions.

First, I want to acknowledge Columbia’s extraordinary commitment over many years to creating a diverse learning environment that reflects our world and benefits everyone at this great university. For decades, this commitment has transformed lives and opened opportunities for countless students. We should all take great pride in the vibrant community that Columbia has become because of the diversity of backgrounds and views that is represented in our classrooms, labs, dormitories, and gathering places. We are of course conducting all admissions policies and practices in compliance with the law, while upholding the values that have made Columbia a great place to learn, advance knowledge, and contribute to society.

In that spirit, I have asked Interim Provost Dennis Mitchell to lead a working group that includes the three undergraduate deans and other graduate and professional school deans to undertake a high-level review of current admissions policies. While admissions policies are made at the school level, this University-level focus will allow us to share information and insights and to learn from each other as we adjust to the new landscape. Dennis’s working group began meeting in August and will issue a set of recommendations by December.

Separately, I have asked experts from across the University to examine existing pipeline and pathway programs and to think about ways we might alter or expand these programs to reach more potential students. One particular focus will be local opportunities. To the greatest extent possible, we want to welcome students from local public high schools, community colleges, and other public institutions into our undergraduate and professional schools.

As we move forward, we will draw on our own deep scholarly expertise in inequality and social mobility and learn from the many institutions both in the U.S. and abroad that operate without affirmative action. It will take time for us to develop and refine this new approach. But I promise a sustained commitment, including securing the resources necessary for meaningful impact, to ensure Columbia remains a beacon for generations of future students. What I have outlined today is a first step, and you will hear more from me and others as the work advances.

Sincerely,

Minouche Shafik

President, Columbia University in the City of New York

Minouche Shafik via Bwog Archives