Case: Fisher v. UT Austin

The U.S. Supreme Court is — for the second time — reviewing the constitutionality of the consideration of race in the University of Texas (“UT”) undergraduate admissions policy. Previously, in June 2013, the Court upheld, in Fisher I, the landmark decisions of Grutter v. Bollinger and Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, which broadly affirmed the educational importance of diversity, and remanded the case to the Fifth Circuit for further review consistent with those decisions’ requirement of strict scrutiny review.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld UT’s admissions policy in 2011 and it did so again in 2014 on remand from the U.S. Supreme Court. The admissions policy at issue in Fisher has two components: UT admits all Texas residents who rank in the top ten percent of their high school class.  For the remainder of the class, UT undertakes a holistic “whole-file” review of applications.  This process allows the school to consider additional criteria, such as essays, leadership qualities, extracurricular activities, awards, work experience, community service, family responsibilities, socio-economic status, languages spoken in the home, and—as of 2005—race. It is this modest consideration of race alongside a host of other factors that was and is again under review. In July 2014, finding the holistic review component of the admissions process a modest but important complement to the Top Ten percent component of UT’s admissions program, the Fifth Circuit found that UT’s program was indeed narrowly tailored to advance the compelling government interest in the educational benefits of diversity.

LDF has long played a key role in the litigation of this case, filing an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 and twice presenting oral arguments in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Most recently, LDF filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and the Black Ex-Student Alliance (BEST) in November 2015. The brief emphasized the continued importance of race-conscious admissions in admitting a diverse class and preparing UT students and America’s future leaders. The brief also highlighted the critical role of diversity in breaking down stereotypes and of the UT program to achieving that end. LDF’s latest amicus brief asserts that “[w]hen students encounter classmates from different backgrounds—within and across dimensions of race, socio-economic status, and beyond—and come to understand and respect each other as individuals, they are all better for it.” 

UT’s program comes under scrutiny against a historical backdrop of exclusion of African-American students from UT, as well as the prohibition of consideration of race in admissions at UT. In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court in Sweatt v. Painter ordered UT’s Law School to admit an African-American candidate, Heman Marion Sweatt.  Although Sweatt was academically qualified, he had been denied admission based solely on his race.  More recently, in Hopwood v. Texas, UT was prohibited from considering race in admissions. As a result of Hopwood, UT admitted students through a program much like the present-day hybrid plan, only the holistic review supplementing the Top Ten plan considered all characteristics except for race. Between 1997 and 2004 – between Hopwood and Grutter – UT’s African-American and Latino student population plummeted and diversity faltered. This history, combined with the need to improve the racial climate on campus, elevated the particular importance and educational benefits of promoting student diversity at UT and bolstered the case for UT’s eventual return to race-conscious admissions.  Since 2004, UT has used the hybrid admissions plan in an effort to improve diversity on campus.

A broad and varied coalition joins LDF in support of UT in Fisher II, including: scores of Fortune 100 companies and leading American businesses; a group of retired military leaders; the U.S. Solicitor General; 18 states; dozens of Texas legislators; numerous universities, colleges, and educational associations; and more than 800 social scientists. This broad coalition also includes dozens of national civil rights organizations, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.

Media Coverage

• Elias Isquith, “Extremely inappropriate”: The Supreme Court and the sneaky plot to kill affirmative action, Salon (Dec. 11, 2015)
• Ariane de Vogue, Court releases audio of Justice Scalia saying maybe black students don’t belong at elite universities, ABC 57 News (Dec. 11, 2015)
• Anemona Hartocollis, With Remarks in Affirmative Action Case, Scalia Steps Into ‘Mismatch’ Debate, New York Times (Dec. 10, 2015)
• Anemona Hartocollis, Justice Scalia adds fresh fuel to debate on affirmative action, The Seattle Times (Dec. 10, 2015)
• Tyler Cherry & Pam Vogel, Media Explain The Importance Of Affirmative Action In College Admissions, Media Matters (Dec. 10, 2015)
• Ariane de Vogue, Supreme Court divided in University of Texas affirmative action case, CNN (Dec. 9, 2015)
• Mark Sherman, Supreme Court revisits Texas college affirmative action in new court case, The Daily Reporter (Dec. 9, 2015)
• Jim Schutze, UT and Abigail Fisher Back Before the High Court today, Becoming a Regular Event, Dallas Observer (Dec. 9, 2015)
• Mark Sherman, Supreme Court hears Texas affirmative action challenge, WGEM (Dec. 9, 2015)
• Elise Boddie, Why Supreme Court Justices Should Celebrate College Diversity, Not Reject It, New York Times (Dec. 8, 2015)
• Richard D. Kahlenberg, The Future of Affirmative Action, The Atlantic (Dec. 8, 2015)
• Kimberly Hefling, In race case, will Justice Kennedy go from liberal hero to goat?, Politico (Dec. 8, 2015)
• Manny Otiko, Columbia University President Urges Supreme Court to Preserve Affirmative Action, Atlanta Blackstar (Dec. 7, 2015)
• Tribune News Service, UT policy on admitting suburban minorities debated, San Antonio Express-News, (Nov. 26, 2015)
• Carla Rivera, “UC files court brief supporting race-based admissions policy“, LA Times, August 13, 2012
• Robert Barnes,  “Supreme Court may limit use of race in college admissions“, Washington Post, September 27, 2012
• Josh Civin, “UT’s Race-Conscious Admissions Policy Promotes Individual Dignity for All Students“, ACSBlog, October 3, 2012
• Samantha Robles “UT Needs Holistic Review“, Huffington Post, October 9, 2012
• Joshua Fechter,  “Lawyers Tout Admissions Policy, Diversity on Campus“, The Daily Texan, October 13, 2012
• Linda Greenhouse,  “History Lessons“, N.Y. Times, October 3 , 2012
• Marc Morial – President & CEO, National Urban League, “Supreme Court To Hear Major Affirmative Action Case“, I Am Empowered, October 10, 2012
• Robert Post, Dean of Yale Law School, & Martha Minow, Dean of Harvard Law School, “Why Race Matters in School Admissions“, Washington Post, October 5, 2012
• Jennifer Renee Johnson, University of Texas student, “Sunday Dialogue, Using Race in Admissions“, N.Y. Times, October 6, 2012
• Elise Boddie,  “‘Sunday Dialogue, Using Race in Admissions’ By Elise Boddie“, N.Y. Times, October 6, 2012
• Steven Farmer, Vice Provost, University of North Carolina, “Fisher v. Texas: It’s Wrong to Curb Diversity“, The Hill,  October 8, 2012
• Cortney Sanders, University of Texas student, “Op-Ed, Building a Campus that Includes Everyone“, Daily Texan, October 8, 2012
• Bill Mears, CNN Supreme Court Producer, “Justices to re-examine use of race in college admissions“, CNN Wire, October 8, 2012
• Lee C. Bollinger and Claude M. Steele,  “A High-Stakes Battle for Higher Education“, LA Times, October 9, 2012
• Bobby R. Inman, Admiral, USN (ret.),  “Why Diversity Counts in National Security“,Time Magazine,  October 9, 2012
• Rachel Godsil, “Affirmative action and the unprepared minority myth“, LA Times, October 9, 2012
• Jared Dawson, University of Texas student, “Another Face of Affirmative Action“, The Horn, October 9, 2012
• Bill Mears, “As high court hears affirmative action case, student voices differ on diversity“, CNN, October 9, 2012
• Editorial, “Why the High Court Should Back Race-Based College Admissions“, Washington Post, October 9, 2012
• Editorial,  “Keep Schools’ Right To Limited Use of Race“, USA Today,  October 10, 2012
• Terry Baynes,  “Supreme Court Justices Challenge Affirmative Action at Universities“, Reuters,  October 10, 2012
• Andrea Hsu, “‘Sweatt Vs. Painter’: Nearly Forgotten, But Landmark Texas Integration“, NPR Blog, October 10, 2012
• Debo Adegbile,  “Why Diversity In Higher Education Isn’t Optional“, Melissa Harris Perry Blog, October 10, 2012
• Editorial, “Race-Conscious Admissions in Texas“, NY Times, October 10, 2012
• Editorial, “A diverse student body benefits society“, Austin American- Statesman, October 10, 2012
• Rep. Mike Honda, “Don’t Mess With Texas? How the Supreme Court Should Rule on Education Case“, Huffington Post, October 10, 2012
• Elise Boddie,  “Commentary on Fisher: The importance of diversity within diversity“, SCOTUS BLOG, October 11, 2012
• Toure, “Why We Still Need Affirmative Action“, TIME, October 12, 2012
• Dan Christman and John F. Regni (former military academy superintendents), “Military needs a diverse officer corps in a worldwide setting“, San Antonio Express News, October 16, 2012
• David Jesse,  “Affirmative action key to helping cities, former U-M official says“, Detroit Free Press, October 19, 2012
• Lena Martinez-Watts, “Knowledgeable Approach Can Take Stress Out of Affirmative Action Conversations“, DIVERSE Issues in Higher Education, October 19, 2012
• Michael Kinsley, “Overthinking Affirmative Action“, Los Angeles Times, November 1, 2012
• Richard Lempert, et al., “All hat, no cattle? Mismatch and Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin“, SCOTUS BLOG, November 5, 2012
• Editorial, “Class-Based v. Race-Based Admissions“, New York Times,  November 18, 2012
• William Kidder “High Target for “Mismatch”: Bogus Arguments about Affirmative Action“, Los Angeles Review of Books, February 7, 2013
• Nikole Hannah-Jones,  “A Colorblind Constitution: What Abigail Fisher’s Affirmative Action Case Is Really About“, PRO PUBLICA, March 18, 2013
• William E. Kirwan, Chancellor, University System of Maryland, “How We Can Be Better Stewards of the American Dream“, The  Chronicle of Higher Education, April 15, 2013
• Damon Hewitt “The Struggle Continues 59 Years After Brown v. Board of Education“, the Cincinnati Herald, May 17, 2013
• Lee Bollinger “The Real Mismatch: The Supreme Court Should Not Force Universities To Trade Affirmative Action for Socioeconomic Diversity. Schools Can Have Both“, Slate, May 30, 2013
• Mark Walsh “Theories Abound With Race-in-Admissions Ruling Still to Come. Education Week“, Education Week, May 30, 2013
• Ronald Brownstein “Why This Affirmative Action Debate Is Different“, National Journal, May 31, 2013
• Lix Halloran “Court Prepares To Write New Chapters In Civil Rights History“, NPR, June 01, 2013
• Angela Onwuachi-Willig “Clarence Thomas and Affirmative Action”, National Law Journal, June 3, 2013
• Bill Mears “A summary of major upcoming Supreme Court decisions“, CNN.com, June 3, 2012
• Max Mihelich “High Court Affirmative Action Case Could Have Workplace Implications“, Workforce, June 5, 2013
• James M. Glaser and Timothy J. Ryan “Preferences always will play a part in admissions: Colleges use myriad non-racial selections to balance classes“, Houston Chronicle, June 6, 2013
• Dr. Gail Christopher “The Conversation We’re Not Having When We Talk About Affirmative Action“, Huffington Post, Jun 6, 2013
• “Statement from Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, Regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin”, June, 2013
• Leo Higdon, Jr., President, Connecticut College, Op-Ed “Court Should Uphold Race Factor in College Admissions“, Hartford Courant, June 7, 2013
• Lincoln Caplan “The Effects of Race-Neutral Admissions“, N.Y. Times, June 11, 2013
• Linda Greenhouse “What’s Your Hurry?“, N.Y. Times Opinionator Blog, June 12, 2013
• Jamelle Bouie “Where Do Americans Stand on Affirmative Action?“, American Prospect, June 13, 2013
• Gene D. Block “Diversity on Campus Is Nearly Impossible Without Racial Preferences“, June 24, 2013
• The National Law Journal “Supreme Court Compromises in Affirmative Action Case“, June 24, 2013
• U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan “Statement on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin“, June 24, 2013
• Attorney General Eric Holder “Statement on the Supreme Court Decision in Fisher V. University of Texas“, June 24, 2013
• SCOTUSblog “Commentary on Fisher: In with a bang, out with a fizzle“, June 24th, 2013
• Molly Ball “The Supreme Court’s Pleasant Surprise for Affirmative-Action Advocates“, The Atlantic, June 24, 2013
• Libby Sander “For U. of Texas Students, Ruling Brings Mix of Surprise and Relief“, Chronicle of Higher Ed, June 24, 2013
• Stephanie Condon “Supreme Court Holds Off on Major Affirmative Action Decision“, CBS News, June 24, 2013
• Sherrilyn Ifill “Affirmative Action Ruling a Victory for Future“, June 24, 2013
• Journal Sentinel staff and Associated Press “In Texas case, high court backs 2003 affirmative action decision“, Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel, June 24, 2013
• Lee Bollinger “A Long, Slow Drift from Racial Justice“, NY Times, June 25, 2013
• Bill McKenzie “Fisher v. Texas: Why UT Should Still Be Able To Use Race As One of Several Factors“, June 25, 2013
• Joint Statement of Constitutional Law Scholars “Statement of Nation’s Leading Constitutional Law Scholars on U.S. Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Ruling“, June 25, 2013
• Rachel Perlmutter “One in a Sea of Fishers”, The Horn, June 26, 2013
• Crystal Chambers “Not the End of Affirmative Action as We Know It“, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, June 26, 2013
• Dennis Parker and Courtney Bowie “The Solution to Campus Diversity Problem Isn’t Segregation Everywhere Else“, June 26, 2013
• Chris Lewis “Affirmative Action is About More than Diversity“, June 26, 2013
• Damon T. Hewitt “Fisher Case: Fight for Diversity Not Over”, The Root, June 26, 2013
• Gay MacDougall “Affirmative Action’s Modern Purpose “, The Root, June 26, 2013
• Sharon Davies, Executive Director, ” Fisher and the Hidden Crisis of Black Male Collegians“, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity June 26, 2013
• College Board & Education Counsel, Access and Diversity Collaborative “‘Decision Day’ Key Questions“, June 27, 2013
• Lee C. Bollinger “To Move Forward, We Must Look Back“, The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 27, 2013
• Janell Ross “Landmark Affirmative Action Case in Court Again“, The Root, November 14, 2013

Reactions to Supreme Court Ruling from the Education Community

• The College Board “The College Board Responds to the US Supreme Court’s Fisher v. University of Texas Decision“, June 24, 2013
• National School Boards Association “NSBA applauds Supreme Court’s school diversity ruling”, June 24, 2013
• American Council on Education “Statement of ACE President Molly Corbett Broad on Fisher v. University of Texas“, June 24, 2013
• University of Texas “University of Texas at Austin President Responds to Supreme Court Ruling“, June 24, 2013
• NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education “NASPA Reacts to Fisher Court Case Ruling“, June 24, 2013
• University of Wisconsin “Chancellor’s Statement on Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin“, June 24, 2013
• University of Indiana “IU President issues statement on Fisher v. University of Texas ruling“, June 24, 2013
• MIT “Letter to the community regarding Fisher v. University of Texas“, June 24, 2013
• Carleton College “Thiboutot Talks Fisher v. U of Texas Supreme Court Case Decision With MPR“, June 24, 2013
• University of Minnesota,  Statement from U of M President Kaler on U.S. Supreme Court ruling in ‘Fisher v. University of Texas'”, June 24, 2013
• Jill Anderson, Harvard Graduate School of Education “HGSE Reacts to Supreme Court’s “Fisher” Ruling“, June 25, 2013
• Kevin Kiley, Inside Higher Ed , “The Day After, In Texas“, June 26, 2013
• Libby Sander “For U. of Texas Students, Ruling Brings Mix of Surprise and Relief“, The Chronicle of Higher Education,June 27, 2013
• College Board & Education Counsel “Understanding Fisher v. the University of Texas: Policy Implications of What the U.S. Supreme Court Did (and Didn’t) Say About Diversity and the Use of Race and Ethnicity in College Admissions“, July 9, 2013

Scholarly Articles

• Civil Rights community, “Response to The Century Foundation’s Report on Affirmative Action in Higher Education“, LDF, October 5, 2012
• Rachel Godsil, “View from the Gallery – Oral Argument in Fisher v. University of Texas–Austin“, Poverty & Race Vol. 21, No. 6 •   PRRAC Journal,  November/December 2012
• William C. Kidder “Misshaping the River: Proposition 209 and Lessons for the Fisher Case“, 39 Journal of College and University Law 53, February 21, 2013
• Vinay Harpalani “Fisher’s Fishing Expedition“, University of Pa. Journal of Constitutional Law – Heightened Scrutiny, Vol. 15, No. 57, 2013
• Gerald Torres “Fisher v. University of Texas: Living in the Dwindling Shadow of LBJ’s America”, 65 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 97 (2012)
• Girardeau A. Spann “Fisher v. Grutter”, 65 Vand. L. Rev. En Banc 45 (2012)

Audio/Video/Graphics Footage

• PBS NewsHour, “What’s different about this challenge to affirmative action?” December 9, 2015
• The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, “Scalia’s shocking Affirmative Action remarks” December 9, 2015
• Melissa Harris-Perry, Supreme Court to hear affirmative action case December 7, 2015
• UP – with host Chris Hayes (MSNBC) “The Supreme Court and Affirmative Action”  September 30, 2012
• NBC Nightly News “High court hears biggest race case in six years” October 12, 2012
• Martin Bashir (MSNBC) “Supreme Court Hears Case on Affirmative Action (Romney, Ryan’s non-affirmative action on Supreme Court case)” October 10, 2012
• CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley “Family of UT trailblazer hope policy continues” October 10, 2012
• CNN “SCOTUS to Hear Affirmative Action Case” October 10, 2012
• Audio of Oral Argument
• PBS NewsHour(PBS) “Supreme Court Hears Affirmative Action Challenges” October 10, 2012
• The Early Show (CBS) “Grading Affirmative Action” October 10, 2012
• Melissa Harris- Perry Show (MSNBC) “An Open Letter to Justice Clarence Thomas” October 13, 2012
• Melissa Harris- Perry Show (MSNBC) “Why ending affirmative action makes America less secure” January 26, 2013
• USA Today “Supreme Court to make crucial rulings on race: From Brown to Fisher: Important civil rights cases and moments since 1954”
• N.Y. Times, Video: “Big Supreme Court Issues: Same Sex Marriage, Affirmative Action and Voting Rights”, June 6, 2013
• CBS News “Supreme Court holds off on major affirmative action decision”, June 24, 2013
• University of Texas at Austin “Supreme Court returns Fisher case to Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals”, June 24, 2013
• NY Times “Interactive Graphic: In States with Affirmative Action Bans, How Minorities Have Fared”, June 24, 2013
• Andrea Mitchell Reports (MSNBC) “Supreme Court clears one major case from their to-do list”, June 24, 2013
• All in with Chris Hayes “Justice Thomas likens affirmative action support to slavery”, June 24, 2013
• Democracy Now! “In Affirmative Action Ruling, Supreme Court Upholds Importance of Diversity in College Admissions”, June 25, 2013