Affirmative Action Debate

Welcome to Affirmative Action Debate, a website aimed at providing a balanced and comprehensive guide to one of America’s most contentious social issues.  The tabs across the top of this page are largely self-explanatory. The home tab – and this paragraph – can link you to an explanation of our mission, to new developments in the field, to special featured discussions or debates, and to an explanation of how the editors and board balance their roles as participants in the broader public debate on affirmative action with their duties to the site.

This website is a work in progress.  Its current focus is the use of preferences in college and university admissions.  We will be steadily adjusting and refining these materials and will eventually expand our scope to include contracting and employment practices.  We ask for your patience as the site evolves and, in particular, welcome your suggestions and comments on how we can improve any and all aspects of this project.

Important Notice

Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments in Two Pending Cases

The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on the two cases now pending before it involving, respectively, the University of North Carolina and Harvard College. These will take place on Monday, October 31, 2022, starting at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. First up will be Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. (SFFA) v. University of North Carolina, set for 90 minutes. This will be followed by SFFA v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, set for 70 minutes.

Both will be “live-streamed,” via a link that will posted on the Court’s website, supremecourt.gov: https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx.

In addition, both the audio and a transcript of the arguments will be available on the Court website later that day.