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US Supreme Court Decision Rules Against Race Based Admissions

Affirmative Action and Holistic admissions were operational approaches that educational institutions employed to promote diversity and equal opportunities for under-represented groups. Affirmative Action referred to policies that aimed to address historical inequalities and promote diversity by considering factors such as race, gender, or ethnicity in the admissions process. The recent abolishment of race- based admissions in the academe by the United States Supreme Court (USSC)  was disappointing and discouraging for many working to improve equity and educational experiences in higher education. (Students for Fair Admissions vs. Trustees of Harvard College, 2023). Perhaps more importantly, the psychological ramifications of continued oppression of students of color looking to advance in higher education settings  requires a call to action for committed willingness and efforts to  promote diverse and inclusive OT programs.

Not Surprising

The USSC majority rule refuting Affirmative Action was not surprising given past USSC decisions that had determined race- based admissions as potentially unconstitutional and time limited (Fischer v. University of Texas, 2016). Many institutions of higher education who have a strategic plan for student body diversity and equity  have been working for years to determine and quantify objective admissions criteria to promote the equitable inclusion of a variety of students. Although, there has been some improvement in the diversity of students entering higher education, this does not reflect nor represent the United States population.

OT Programs and Holistic Admissions

Holistic admissions have proven to be challenging in highly competitive allied health programs as universities grapple with the number of applicants and the assessment of students based on non-cognitive measures of student success.  For occupational therapy programs AOTA program data 2020-2021 shows minor improvement in racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the past 10 years, but significant disparities exist for all non-white and non-female groups.  The majority of the profession remains white and female. Why?

Commit or Recommit to Diverse Educational Experiences

• Successful holistic admissions processes embrace the willingness to look broadly at all students in a non-homogeneous, un-biased manner.
• Admissions committees must determine the non-cognitive factors of what it means to be an occupational therapy student and an occupational therapy professional. The broader the skill level and the qualitative measure of those skills, the more inclusive the process will be.
• Expect and embrace the variability. Much like hiring a team with a variety of strengths and skills, a student cohort with a variety of strengths and skills provides more opportunity for engagement and learning.  
• Your policy should be applied diligently and consistently across all applicants to avoid any form of discrimination or bias.
• Utilize an occupational justice lens to determine the outcome of your process in fostering a diverse student body that enriches the educational experience of all students.