DATE: June 29, 2023
TO: The SUNY Old Westbury Campus Community
FROM: Timothy E. Sams, President
RE: U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action
Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the affirmative action programs of both Harvard and the University of North Carolina and their use of race as a factor in the admission of their students. This calls into serious question affirmative action admission programs that may exist at institutions of higher education nationwide. While not a surprising result considering recent discourse and rulings, this decision will impact many campuses as they adjust their admissions practices.
I fear this decision may have a chilling effect among black and brown students who might feel that after this that they are less welcome within higher education and that it is less attainable. Even so, I am confident our campus will continue to succeed by being a beacon for all students looking for a welcoming and rigorous place to study and grow.
At SUNY Old Westbury, we have a long history of attracting students from all walks of life and are proud to regularly be among the most diverse campuses in America. We've accomplished this by having an inclusive and social justice mission and campus environment, and by recruiting from a wide variety of communities that reflect the diversity that exists across America. We actively recognize our students’ uniqueness and commonalities as part of our effort to prepare them for global leadership. Further, we at SUNY Old Westbury believe that we all succeed when we focus on the capacity, goals and dreams of each student.
Our mission is the centerpiece of our institution, and it has drawn teachers, learners, professionals and employees from all over, who believe diversity is integral to academic excellence. In light of this ruling, we will continue to insist that access is indispensable to higher education’s obligation to prepare informed, literate and humane global leaders, as we have done for six decades here at SUNY Old Westbury. This unfortunate ruling underscores my ongoing insistence that the world needs OW graduates now more than ever.