In June 2023, the Supreme Court banned the use of race as a factor in college admissions, a decision that has spurred significant changes far beyond admissions offices. The court’s ruling has triggered a wave of state laws curbing campus diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and some race-based scholarships are coming under new scrutiny.
The University of Alabama, for example, has stopped considering race in some scholarship decisions. Despite the change, the university asserts that its “commitment to providing opportunities to all remains unchanged.”
These changes are part of a broader national debate about the future of D.E.I. initiatives and their role in higher education. Critics argue that such programs are unnecessary or unfair, while supporters say they’re essential for fostering equal opportunity and addressing systemic discrimination.
Soledad O’Brien Productions and Retro Report produced this documentary short for TIME, in partnership with The Hechinger Report, which also reported this story on how the rolling back of DEI efforts and scholarships is dramatically changing opportunities for students.
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