Supreme Court on Admissions

Inside Higher Ed has a lengthy article on a lawsuit against the U of Texas regarding its affirmative action policies. Apparently, the U.S. Supreme Court has just announced it will take up the case with a likely decision in 2016. The issue might seem to have no potential effect on UC since it is banned from using such practices under Prop 209 of 1996. Prop 209 was enacted by voters after the Regents adopted an anti-affirmative action policy favored by then-Gov. Pete Wilson. (The Regents rescinded the policy after 209 was passed since it had become redundant.)

There could be an effect in California, however, were 209 to be repealed or modified. The legislature nearly put a proposition on the ballot that would have allowed the voters to repeal 209. But after protests from the Asian community, there were not enough votes for such an action and the matter was dropped. It is possible, however, that the issue of a repeal proposition could come up again. The meaning of such a repeal, were it ever to occur, would be constrained by whatever the Supreme Court might say in the Texas case.

Story at https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/06/29/supreme-court-will-once-again-consider-affirmative-action-college-admissions

A news report on the UC Regents' action on abolishing affirmative action can be seen below: