Over 50 universities across the country, including Ithaca College, are under federal investigation for alleged racial discrimination. IC is one of 6 schools being investigated for scholarships that potentially violate federal anti-discrimination laws. The U.S. Department of Education’s investigation stems from the broader national effort to scrutinize race-based financial aid and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in all schools that receive federal funding. 

Race-conscious scholarships are necessary to address the systemic educational inequities minorities face, and eliminating them would be a major setback. Critics argue that they discriminate against white students, but this stance ignores the persistent racial disparities in education. Approximately 28% of Black adults and 21% of Hispanic adults over the age of 25 hold college degrees, compared to 42% of white adults. These scholarships aim to level the playing field, and create an equitable environment on campus. 

Opponents claim that these scholarships violate anti-discrimination laws, but legal precedent supports race-conscious remedies, like scholarships, for historical injustices. Financial aid programs are designed to support marginalized communities, and are not exclusionary practices. Eliminating these scholarships would disproportionately harm Black, Latino and Indigenous students.

Many students from underrepresented communities rely on scholarships, like the ones under fire, to have access to higher education. Without these scholarships, students from disadvantaged backgrounds could be financially and socially discouraged from attending college, decreasing the number of students that reach university. In 1996, when California’s Proposition 209 banned the consideration of race in public university admissions and financial aid, underrepresented and minority student enrollment decreased by at least 40% on University of California, Berkeley and UCLA campuses; an example of what could happen to the universities and colleges currently under siege.

White students already carry an endless amount of privilege that people within marginalized communities do not. These scholarships provide students of color with additional support so they can access the same opportunities as their non-marginalized counterparts.

If higher education institutions are forced to end race-conscious scholarships, the consequences will be severe. Universities will become less diverse because some students of color will face additional barriers to reaching graduation, and therefore their overall success. Ithaca College scholarships also do not state that they are awarded only to students of color. The Rashad G. Richardson “I Can Achieve” Memorial Scholarship and the African Latino Society Memorial Scholarship are awarded to students who exemplify leadership in programs, including but not limited to, the BIPOC Unity Center. Instead of giving in to political pressure, institutions must fight to preserve programs that promote educational equity.

Colleges and universities must resist the challenges facing race-conscious scholarships and continue advocating for policies that support and lift up marginalized students. The fight for racial equity in higher education is ongoing, and the outcome of this battle will shape the future of diversity in academia for years to come.