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Affirmative Action at Risk as Supreme Court Takes Up Harvard Case

It will be the first time the issue has been weighed by the court under its 6-3 conservative majority.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to rule on whether the use of race in admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina is lawful—a move that could end with affirmative action being overturned. The court confirmed Monday that it will hear twin cases from a conservative student group that challenges the use of race-conscious admissions programs at the two universities. The group, Students for Fair Admissions, alleges that Asian American applicants have been illegally targeted at Harvard, while the North Carolina case claims the university discriminated against white and Asian applicants. Both universities argue that their admissions policies are lawful based on previous Supreme Court rulings. However, the upcoming ruling will be the first time the issue has been weighed by the Supreme Court under its 6-3 conservative majority. In recent cases, both universities won in federal trial courts.