Do UNC-Chapel Hill’s admissions policies disproportionately favor underrepresented minorities? That question is at the center of a federal court case on trial in Winston-Salem.
This is the third attempt by the plaintiff Students for Fair Admissions to overturn affirmative action admissions policies at a university for alleged discrimination against White and Asian college applicants. They were unsuccessful against the University of Texas at Austin, and the Harvard University case is awaiting appeal.
Students for Fair Admissions, Incorporated claims that race-conscious admissions policies at UNC-Chapel Hill provide Black, Latinx, and Native American students with an unfair advantage. The university has asserted that its admissions policies are constitutionally sound, though race is considered when reviewing applicants. Host Frank Stasio talks to WUNC education reporter Liz Schlemmer about arguments on both sides of the case and its long-term implications.