Bristol Community College President Dr. Laura Douglas says the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last week to end affirmative action admission policies at colleges and universities will negatively impact advances in making higher education more diverse.
Dr. Douglas says Bristol has an open enrollment policy where race is not a factor in admitting students. She adds that for some programs that are more selective during the admissions process, particularly those in the healthcare fields, the college is taking a broader approach to filling those seats.
Dr. Douglas says while all students will continue to feel welcome at Bristol, the Supreme Court’s decision may have an impact on other elements of the college.
Massachusetts remains committed to ensuring all segments of the population can access high-quality education from K to 12 schools through higher education. With around half of the state’s students identifying as people of color, under ten percent of teachers identify as such. Dr. Douglas says data shows that students who learn under teachers that look like them are more likely to succeed in school and seek higher educational opportunities.
Dr. Douglas says for the last five years the college has been successful in implementing an affirmative action plan to recruit a more diverse workforce to Bristol.
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