SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC), the official voice for all 1.8 million California community college students, strongly condemns the Supreme Court’s holding in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.
The SSCCC recognizes affirmative action as a vital instrument for addressing historical inequities and fostering greater diversity in higher education. The Supreme Court’s holding that considering an applicant’s race in university admissions violates the Equal Protection Clause undermines progress toward achieving an equitable and inclusive society.
“This ruling ignores the persisting institutionalized disparities and discrimination that disproportionately affects communities of color and fails to recognize the need for affirmative action as a remedy for past and present injustices. To quote Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent, ‘Deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.’” Clemaus Tervalon, President
The SSCCC urges lawmakers and educational institutions to continue to advocate for policies that promote diversity, inclusion, and equal access to education.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 1.8 million students per year. The Student Senate for California Community Colleges' mission is to enrich the collegiate experience for all California community college students by pursuing policies that will improve student access and success while engaging and empowering local student leaders and honoring equity and diversity.
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