The Supreme Court of the United States has struck down affirmative action in college admissions. So what does this mean for the HBCU?
Howard University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick called the Supreme Court’s decision ‘unfortunate’ and sees several potential challenges for HBCUs.
“By not allowing race to be considered in admissions elsewhere, you can put even more outsized burden on historically black colleges and universities who don’t have the kind of capacity to carry that type of version, and so I think this is an unfortunate decision,” Dr. Frederick said on air.
Frederick pointed out that the actual designation of being an HBCU was formally forged by the same law that the Supreme Court has just struck down. In his mind, there is a question as to how this decision will impact funding of 100-plus HBCUs.
“Historically black colleges and universities are in the law because of the Higher Education Act in the 1960s,” he continued. “We were created through that system for special funding. These are the types of things that – when you listen to certain people in congress – these are the types of things that they may want to go and overturn.”
Frederick pointed out that the Howard University Medical School, which has one of the most selective medical schools in the country, has a supplemental application process that speaks to an applicant’s background and how it has impacted them. He
“We had 8,500 people apply to our medical school this year. We only admitted 126 students,” Frederick said. “And with that supplemental application, we do use that to give certain kinds of students an opportunity. But I think that that can now be challenged to whether we should do that. And that would become a barrier to the production of black doctors in America.”