January 31st 2024.
A recent development in the ongoing battle against race-conscious admission programs at colleges and universities has caught the attention of many. The group at the forefront of this movement, Students for Fair Admissions, led by conservative activist Edward Blum, has secured yet another victory in their fight. The University of North Carolina has agreed to pay $4.8 million to cover the group's fees and expenses, as confirmed by recent public records.
According to Reuters, this payment is in response to a public records request made by Students for Fair Admissions. In certain civil rights cases, plaintiffs are entitled to receive legal fees under federal law, and the courts have granted this in the past. UNC has agreed to pay $3.9 million for the group's fees and an additional $900,000 for their expenses, as stated in their response to the records request. BLACK ENTERPRISE reached out to UNC for comment, but has not yet received a response.
Blum's group has been seeking reimbursement for their legal fees since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last June that considering race in admissions to colleges and universities is a violation of equal protection under the nation's constitution. As a result of lawsuits brought forth by Students for Fair Admissions, the court has ruled against both UNC and Harvard University on this matter, as reported by Reuters.
Some individuals are concerned that this ruling by the Supreme Court could lead to a decline in enrollment of Black and Hispanic students at colleges and universities, at a time when schools are actively trying to increase diversity. Many institutions have made it a priority to boost diversity numbers in order to foster new perspectives on their campuses.
William Michael Cunningham, owner of Creative Investment Research and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, shared his thoughts on the settlement in an email to BLACK ENTERPRISE. "The financial burden of this settlement on UNC, and potentially other institutions, is alarming," Cunningham stated. "It takes away valuable resources that could be used for educational programs and financial aid, directly impacting students. Additionally, the fear of facing legal battles like this may discourage schools from pursuing meaningful diversity initiatives, which could further perpetuate disparities."
According to Reuters, Blum has claimed that both UNC and Harvard have spent millions of dollars in their fights against his group's lawsuits. While Harvard has reportedly reached a resolution, the terms of their financial agreement have not been disclosed.
This settlement by UNC comes after the Fearless Fund, a venture capital fund for women of color based in Atlanta, announced last August that they would "vigorously fight" a racial discrimination lawsuit filed against them by Blum's organization. Black leaders have strongly opposed the Supreme Court's decision to eliminate affirmative action, and some are even questioning if the workplace will be Blum's next target.
In related news, the Affirmative Action Ban has already had a significant impact on law school admissions in 2023. The post UNC Agrees To Pay Group Led By Anti-Affirmative Action Activist $4.8M first appeared on Black Enterprise.
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