Message from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost: Supreme Court decision on consideration of race and ethnicity in admissions

Dear University of Minnesota students, faculty, and staff,

As you may know, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today on two cases regarding college admissions. The decisions limit the ability of colleges and universities that receive federal funding to consider an applicant’s race or ethnicity in decision-making for admission.

We remain steadfast in our commitments to our educational mission of inclusion and access, to remove barriers to higher education for underrepresented populations, and to ensure that all members of our community have equitable access to the University and its resources.

A working group led by the Provost’s Office, in close consultation with the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), has been preparing for this decision for many months. That group will ensure that our processes in undergraduate, graduate, and professional education are compliant with the new state of the law, and that we continue to live out our values of inclusion and access. 

We will continue our recruiting efforts that have yielded increased diversity in our entering classes. We remain committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice on all our campuses.

We appreciate your patience as the Provost’s Office, OGC, and others evaluate the decisions and communicate the changes that they will require. More information can be found on the System website. If you have questions, please submit them via this form for a response and potential inclusion in an FAQ.

Sincerely yours,

Rachel T.A. Croson
Executive Vice President and Provost

This email was sent to all faculty, staff, and students systemwide by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost on June 29, 2023.