ASCO Town Hall Addresses Impending Supreme Court Ruling on Racially Conscious Admissions Policies - Program Sponsored by VSP Vision

ASCO Town Hall Addresses Impending Supreme Court Ruling on Racially
Conscious Admissions Policies - Program Sponsored by VSP Vision

ASCO’s Diversity & Cultural Competency and Students Affairs committees partnered on April 21st to host an ASCO Diversity Town Hall to share details behind two cases recently considered by the U.S. Supreme Court that question whether institutions of higher education can use race as a factor in admissions. The lawsuits, Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard, and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, argue that using race in admissions constitutes racial discrimination in violation of the Equal Protections Clause.

In anticipation of the Supreme Court’s decisions on these two cases (anticipated anytime between now and early July), Lucy Kehinde Darnell, OD, PhD, FAAO from UHCO moderated a panel of thought leaders in admissions, law, and optometric education to discuss the potential ramifications for academic optometry.

The panelists were:

• Dr. Christian Alberto - Director of Admissions and Enrollment at State University of New York College of Optometry
• Seth J. Chandler, JD - Professor of Law at The University of Houston Law Center
• Dr. Lucy Kehinde Darnell - Clinical Professor at The University of Houston College of Optometry
• Dr. Kathy Seward Northern - Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Associate Professor of Law at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• Dr. Gerald Simon - Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Professor at University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry

The Town Hall, which was sponsored by VSP Vision, had 89 attendees, and post-town hall poll results show that 85% of attendees felt they had a better understanding and awareness of the upcoming SCOTUS decision as a result of their participation.

Leonard M. Baynes, Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center said, “I am delighted that Professor Chandler was able to assist the UH College of Optometry by participating in this town hall. As you probably witnessed, Professor Chandler is a brilliant teacher and scholar who knows the Constitution like the back of his hand.”

Additional information about the two cases can be found at the following links:

"Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College." Oyez, https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/20-1199. Accessed 9 Mar. 2023.

“Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina.” Oyez, https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/21-707. Accessed 9 Mar.2023.