AIRC condemns the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision prohibiting the use of race as one factor in a holistic college admissions process.
While the scope of affirmative action does not apply specifically to international students, this decision is nonetheless likely to have a negative impact on the recruitment and enrollment of international students at a time when global competition for these students is greater than ever. Unfortunately, these negative impacts come precisely at a time when many U.S. institutions are seeking to expand and diversify the countries represented on their campuses. The Court’s decision is a threat to our efforts to rebuild international student enrollments to pre-pandemic levels and keep the U.S. the leading international education destination.
As a result of the ruling, international students and their families may judge the U.S. to be a less welcoming and supportive host for international students. Students choose to study in the U.S., in part, because of the diversity of students with whom they will interact on campuses. Studying and living with peers who reflect the richness of our multiracial U.S. society helps to prepare students to be engaged contributors in our globally interconnected world, where interacting and working with others who have different backgrounds and hold different views has never been more important. Without the tool of affirmative action, institutions may have greater difficulty in creating this living and learning environment, and as a result international student learning could suffer because of it.
AIRC will continue to assess the impact of this decision on international student recruitment and enrollment. We are planning to convene a webinar soon for our member community to discuss the impacts of the ruling and share ideas and practices for facing the challenges brought on by the Supreme Court ruling.
Sincerely,
Brian Whalen
Executive Director