Our continued commitment to diversity in education, June 30, 2023

Remarks by President Andrea Talentino

Yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a decision finding that the admissions programs at Harvard and University of North Carolina did not satisfy the requirements of the U.S. Constitution based on their consideration of the race of applicants.

I am writing to let you know what the Court’s decision means for Augustana College, and for our students. Importantly, Augustana remains deeply committed to creating, maintaining and sustaining a diverse educational environment.

Very simply, a diverse community is one of the key ways in which we accomplish our mission of preparing students for lives of leadership in a diverse and changing world. The Supreme Court’s decision does not impact this.

The decision will not result in changes to the services, benefits or opportunities offered to current Augustana students as well as students enrolled for Fall 2023. This includes no impact on financial aid and other scholarships or grants that have been received or offered.

Admission to Augustana is not influenced by the race or ethnicity of students. The Supreme Court decision will not, therefore, require us to change our admission practices. In addition, the total amount of financial assistance offered to an Augustana student is primarily based on academic merit and financial need. Augustana has not relied on race or ethnicity as a major factor in awarding aid. We will ensure that our practices going forward are consistent with the Court decision while also staying true to our goals–building a diverse and vibrant community and supporting students with financial need.

In short, we will continue to recruit and admit students who will succeed at Augustana. And we will remain mindful that the vibrancy and health of our community, and that of the broader world, requires that we continue to expand educational opportunities for people from all backgrounds. Our belief in the value of diversity, equity and inclusion and our commitment to those values remains unchanged.