Yesterday I wrote about new guidance from the Biden administration on how colleges and universities can address questions of race in their admissions process in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. Interestingly, the guidance goes beyond just the admissions process and extends into school culture and programs:
“The administration also said schools should continue to offer support to underrepresented students once they are on campus, to ensure they feel a sense of belonging. Those efforts can include cultural centers and affinity groups with race-related themes, as long as their activities are open to all students regardless of race.”
I’ve written before about the need for companies to create a culture of inclusion and belonging for employees. Up to this point, such programs and spaces might be considered largely discretionary. However, we are already seeing how the Harvard ruling – which applied only to colleges and universities – is being pushed into the corporate world and creating new risk. Will guidance from the Biden administration on inclusion and belonging change how such company initiatives are perceived – or possibly enforced?
To get more insight about how to navigate the increasingly complex surroundings in which corporate DEI programs operate, join our panelists on August 31 for our webcast, “Corporate DEI Programs After Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard“.
