Purposeful Inclusion: Berea and the Supreme Court Decision on College Admissions

Berea College carries out its mission within a changing socio-political climate that has historically been indifferent and sometimes vehemently opposed to its Great Commitments. Committed to interracial education since its founding, Berea has faced significant obstacles in realizing the original vision of John G. Fee. A recent decision by the Supreme Court demonstrates that staying true to mission is not easy—it requires vision and perseverance. As a community, we anticipate there is interest in learning of Berea’s responses and perspective on the Supreme Court’s holding that colleges and universities cannot explicitly consider an applicant’s race in admissions decisions—“The Court in SFFA limited the ability of institutions of higher education to consider an applicant’s race in and of itself as a factor in deciding whether to admit the applicant.” (https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-08/post-sffa_resource_faq_final_508.pdf ) Spoiler alert—Berea’s holistic admissions process is not at risk from the SCOTUS ruling. Nevertheless, this moment provides an opportunity for Berea to better appreciate, deepen, and extend its commitment to interracial education. Please join Dr. Cheryl Nixon, President, Dr. Scott Steele, Provost, Dr. Dwayne Mack, Vice President for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and Luke Hodson, Associate Vice President for Admissions for an evening presentation and discussion. Snacks provided. Join us in the Library Flex Space on Thursday November 2^nd 5:15-6:30.