Affirmative Action Ban Would Limit Faculty Diversity

People of color already are vastly underrepresented among the faculty ranks, and the situation could become much worse if SCOTUS bans affirmative action.

As the higher education community braces itself in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions on affirmative action, likely to be issued in June, much debate focuses on the possible implications for undergraduate admissions and student diversity.

But amid the various speculations, scant attention has been paid to the potential effects on graduate admissions and the future professoriate. What could happen to faculty diversity and the teaching and learning environment across our nation’s colleges and universities?