Universities in Colorado react to Supreme Court affirmative action ruling

Universities across Colorado are grappling with the affirmative action decision announced by the Supreme Court on Thursday. The nation's highest court ruled that race-conscious admission policies of Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violate the Constitution, bringing an end to affirmative action in higher education in a decision that will reverberate across campuses nationwide.  

The ruling may have a major impact on higher learning programs in the state. 

The news hit hard for Dr. Kamal Henderson, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado school of medicine and a VA cardiologist.

"Right now It's a shock it really is, I am saddened by it," said Henderson, who is Black. 

Getting into any medical school is tough. CU accepts less than 2% of all applicants. Discarding race could mean fewer opportunities for minorities.

Henderson remarked, "We are going to be facing some tough challenges ahead to get to represent minorities in the undergraduate pipelines."

The fear is some minorities do not even apply to college as a result of the high court ruling.

Dr. John Reilly Junior, the dean at CU School of Medicine explained, "If they can't get into college, they can't get in the medical school and that's a long-term concern."

But others in the education community see the court ruling positively including many Asian-Americans like Priscilla Rahn of the Denver Public Schools Asian Education Advisory Council. 

"There was a time when affirmative action was important and now we want to get to that place where we are not discriminating against people based on their race," said Rahn.

So higher education will have to go back to the drawing board.

Rahn added, "I think there are more creative ways for universities to diversify their student pool."

Henderson put it this way, "It's an age-old problem that you're just going to have to figure out."

The court's ruling does not apply to military academies, such as the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The University of Colorado issued a statement that read in part, "Our dedication to cultivating a diverse university community runs deep. In fact, our board has set a policy that makes it clear that diversity encompasses demographic characteristics while also encompassing diverse life experiences and perspectives."

Colorado State University released a statement that read, "Here at CSU, the court's decision will not affect the undergraduate admissions process we have had in place for decades. CSU's process assesses the student holistically through a wide range of factors, including personal experiences and academic achievements."