Roxanne Gasana, Campus Carrier staff writer
The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in the case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard University brought an end to race being a consideration in university admissions, which has brought up questions across America on how to achieve diversity among students attending university.
The ruling determined that race being a factor violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Colleges can no longer directly consider race in admissions, though they may consider factors such as academic achievements, family background, income level and the applicant’s first-generation status.
Affirmative action began in 1961 during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Executive order 11246 was put in place to combat systemic discrimination against women and minority racial groups.
According to the admissions office, Berry did not primarily base admission decisions on race before the supreme court ruling.
“Our admissions decisions have really been primarily based on academic achievements,” Senior Associate Director of Admissions Trevor Ehrenheim said. “The question we’re trying to answer in our admissions process is whether a student is going to be successful here.”
In 2008, 8% of the student body at Berry was made up of students of color. In 2024, that number increased to 26%. However, Erenheim said that the change reflects demographic trends in Georgia, rather than a direct result of the Supreme Court ruling.
“If you look at senior classes that are graduating high school, they’re just naturally becoming more diverse in Georgia,” Ehrenheim said. “It makes sense that we’re seeing incoming classes coming to Berry and other schools in the state reflecting those increases in diversity.”
The ruling did not have a large impact on the admissions process at Berry, and the office still focuses on the academic preparation of the student and the circumstances of their background when reviewing applications.
“We want to view a student’s application in the context of their life story,” Ehrenheim said. “We try to steward our applications as thoughtfully as possible.”
Recruitment efforts also play an important role in having a diverse student population. Ehrenheim said Berry works to have a presence in diverse communities by going to college fairs at high schools throughout Georgia.
“We’re trying to be present in as many places as possible where students might be considering college,” Ehrenheim said.
Students have different opinions on the Supreme Court ruling and the impact it may have on diversity. Sophomore Litzy Reyes, the social media manager of the Unity club and a member of the Hispanic and Latinx club Orgullo, said she only recently learned about the ruling, and she believes it could discourage students from underrepresented backgrounds from feeling accepted or from applying to Berry. She thinks diversity helps students feel represented and connected to their different communities on campus.
“Being able to go to the library with my friends and talk in my native language and celebrate the fact that we are Hispanic is a beautiful thing,” Reyes said.
Student organizations are also important in providing opportunities for students to share parts of their cultures.
“Different cultures, different backgrounds, different ideas, different mindsets, but we’re all still coming together,” Reyes said. “Our organizations are built on bringing people together and the idea that everyone belongs in one space.”
Sophomore Kaiya Williams, the social media coordinator of the Black Student Union, said she supports the Supreme Court’s decision to remove race and ethnicity as a factor in admissions decisions.
“I definitely think that somebody’s skill set, GPA, grades, SAT and ACT weigh more and matter more than the color of their skin,” Williams said.
Williams believes that the Supreme Court decision will not make a big difference in regard to diversity on campus. She thinks that minority-led student organizations and campus culture can continue to provide a diverse community.
“I think they can definitely remain diverse without implementing race,” Williams said.
She said that student organizations can look to people of color in leadership positions and faculty.
“We just got a new Dean of Students, Dean Wells, and she’s really nice,” Williams said. “President Mazumder is also a person of color, so I was happy to see him as our new president.”
Williams added that seeing diversity in leadership can help encourage students from different backgrounds to apply and feel comfortable on campus.
Reyes emphasized the importance of confidence and perseverance for students pursuing higher education.
“You’re so much more than a court ruling,” Reyes said. “You belong here. You always have.”