KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court declared race could not be a factor in college admission decisions, forcing higher education institutions to find new ways to make sure student bodies were diverse.
The court specifically overturned admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina — the nation's oldest private and public colleges. While the cases made their way through the courts, the University of Tennessee saw its freshman class grow.
"The first-generation students going to college came through a path that has been extremely, extremely difficult," said Representative Sam McKenzie (D - Knoxville). "The big lie is that somehow, someone's getting a seat or an opportunity that their son, their daughter, that third loved one did not get. That's not what affirmative action is."
While the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious policies in college admissions, its decision does room for colleges to consider students' experiences as it relates to their race in essays. It mainly affects schools with highly select admissions, where less than 50% of applicants get in.
"It does not go as far as meaning that every institution now should eliminate all of their efforts. It's not that opinion, the opinion does not go that far," said Kimberly West-Faulcon, a professor of law from Loyola Marymount University. "I think what we're really going to see is how universities respond to this ruling, and whether they actually read what the word says."
In 2022, the fall freshman class included around 420 Latino students and more than 230 Asian students. According to UT data, around 6,846 freshmen students enrolled in 2022 — representing 28% of the 24,826 students who were admitted. Around 68% of all applications were accepted. It was also the biggest freshman class in ten years.
The data also said 5,469 students who enrolled in the college were white — approximately 80% of the entire class.
In a statement, UT said the schools will "be diving into the details of the ruling to determine whether it will impact the campus and institutes. Our focus on access, retention and engagement, as well as our commitment to the mission of the UT System remains unchanged: to serve all Tennesseans and beyond through education, discovery and outreach."