Independent Sector joined more than 120 funders and philanthropic organizations in a joint statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.
The joint statement notes the decision “threatens to return this nation to a time when education and opportunity were reserved for a privileged class. It endangers sixty years of multiracial movements to challenge our nation to live up to the ideals enshrined in our founding documents. The decision erects new barriers to building a society in which everyone has the opportunity to improve their lives, communities, health, and education.”
It also notes: “Despite today’s ruling, our foundations will not waver in our commitment to those making the nation’s high ideals a reality for all communities and all people.”
Dr. Akilah Watkins, Independent Sector President and CEO, also issued a statement following the decision, stating, “We know that this ruling from the court on affirmative action in higher education could significantly – even severely – impact the work of philanthropy and nonprofits. It could touch how we hire, build our boards, make funding decisions, and design and deliver our programs. The work before us right now is to understand the detail and full implications of the decision that has come down, work with our colleagues in the infrastructure community to engage and educate the sector on what we are seeing in this ruling, and then make careful and values-driven decisions about how we proceed with our work to make sure that all people living in the U.S. thrive.”
Read the full joint statement and list of signatories on the websites of Independent Sector Members Ford Foundation and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Do you have questions about what the Supreme Court’s decision means for philanthropic organizations? Join the July 13 conversation with Dr. Watkins and other experts to find out what comes next.
