Today’s Supreme Court decision on cases challenging affirmative action

June 28, 2023

Today, the United States Supreme Court handed down decisions in the two cases challenging affirmative action policies in admissions at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University. As expected, the decision will have consequences for admissions practices at colleges across the country.

We are currently working with legal counsel and other partners to analyze the specifics of the decision and to ensure that we are ready to meet and adhere to the requirements of the new legal environment.

We will assess if some of our admissions practices may need to shift given the SCOTUS decision; regardless, our values will not.

As I shared with you a few months ago, at Olin, our founding precepts call on us to “develop as diverse a student community as is possible.” Last year, we unveiled a strategic plan grounded in the vision “Engineering for Everyone.” Our vision for the future includes the guiding principles that engineering education needs to be open to everyone and engineering as a profession must serve everyone.

Now that the final judicial decision has been handed down, I can unequivocally reiterate that Olin will not waver from our founding principles or our vision. We will continue to value equity, inclusion, and diversity, and we will continue to be a strong and vital institution if we live by these values.

Gilda