Statement By Virginia Tech Regarding Supreme Court Decision On University Of Michigan Affirmative Action
The Court has ruled that the use of race via narrow tailoring to achieve educational diversity is in the nation's best interest. It says that the government has a compelling interest in promoting racial diversity on campus.
Virginia Tech has recently completed a rigorous review of all of our programs with a race-conscious element. We feel that we are in a very good position to respond to the recent Supreme Court ruling. We have evaluated our programs using guidance from the Virginia Attorney General, who has opined that the use of narrow tailoring for diversity is acceptable.
The University's strategic plan has set goals of increasing diversity of the student population. We strongly support increasing diversity of people and ideas at the university. We believe that because of our adherence to narrow tailoring guidance, once the nuances of the Supreme Court decision are deciphered, we will be in very good shape and likely in compliance with the Court's most recent direction.
The Supreme Court's decision confirms that the intellectual environment is deeply enriched by the contributions of individuals from many cultures with varying perspectives and experiences. Continued efforts to nurture diversity of people and ideas will only enhance the intellectual vitality of Virginia Tech and in turn, strengthen our university's attraction to corporate and government partners.
