The U.S. Supreme Court Thursday blocked colleges and universities from considering an applicant’s race in the admissions process. The decision isn’t expected to impact admissions at state schools.
Helen Thigpen, a spokesperson for the state Commissioner of Higher Education, told MTPR state colleges apply the same admissions policies and don’t include race as a factor.
University of Montana spokesperson Dave Kuntz said the state’s public colleges prioritize access.
“And so, what today’s Supreme Court decision is going to do, is it’s really going to impact those universities outside of Montana that are limiting their access and making those admissions decisions based on race,” Kuntz said.
The U.S. Supreme Court case challenged affirmative action programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Affirmative action is a method of review some colleges use to boost the standing of minority applicants during the admissions process to promote diversity on campus.
Reuters reported the court’s decision will likely be felt most by selective colleges that turn away large numbers of applicants.
An admissions spokesperson with Rocky Mountain College, a private school in Billings, told MTPR the school likewise does not consider race in its admissions. MTPR reached out to spokespeople at Carroll and Salish Kootenai colleges, but did not hear back by deadline.
