(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - United University Professions (UUP), the Nation’s largest Higher Education Union, is unequivocally denouncing today’s (Thursday, June 29th) U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down college admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina that used race as a factor for admission.

UUP President Frederick E. Kowal, Ph.D., released the following statement:

“Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court is devastating and a giant step backward for America.

This decision will undoubtedly harm Black, Latino and Indigenous students - students who looked to admissions programs such as the ones struck down by the Justices as an opportunity for a better life in a deeply divided America.

This Court rejected decades of precedent to arrive at its decision and ignores the reality of racial disparities that permeate our society.

Its decision is shortsighted and effectively ends programs at private and public colleges and universities across the country which consider race as a factor for admission and are meant to encourage educational diversity on campus.

UUP believes in equal educational opportunities for all.

Today’s decision by the Court makes it that much harder to achieve that noble goal.

As UUP President, I can say that our members and I will do all we can to promote and foster diversity at our campuses.

We urge our Elected Officials and SUNY to join us in this righteous cause.” 

UUP represents more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees who work at 29 New York State-operated campuses, including State University of New York Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.

UUP is an affiliate of the New York State United Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.