University of Toledo revises race-based scholarships following Supreme Court affirmative action ruling
The University of Toledo (UT) has paused the awarding of race-based scholarships in response to guidance from Ohio’s attorney general.
The decision comes after the Supreme Court's June 2023 decision on affirmative action.
The University of Toledo (UT) has paused the awarding of race-based scholarships in response to guidance from Ohio’s attorney general, following the June 2023 Supreme Court ruling limiting race-based admissions.
After the Supreme Court’s decision, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost instructed state colleges and universities to stop considering race in admissions. In a June 30, 2023 letter, Yost wrote that institutions “must immediately cease considering race when making admissions decisions.”
A spokesperson from Yost’s office further clarified that race-based scholarships might violate the ruling, stating that “eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it,” which suggests such scholarships could be unconstitutional.
[RELATED: Pro-Hamas student group sues U of Vermont over alleged free speech violations]
UT Vice President for Advancement Floyd Akins explained that the attorney general’s interpretation affected approximately $500,000 in scholarships administered by the UT Foundation, according to 13ABC.
One example is a scholarship named after Art Tatum, which was initially designated for African American students. To comply with the legal opinion, the criteria for such scholarships had to be revised to remove race-based requirements.
“We’re not going to act unlawfully. We’re following the guidance from both the court and the attorney general and moving forward accordingly,” Akins said. He noted that after donors were informed of the necessary changes, the process of revising the scholarships became smoother.
These paused scholarships, which amount to 6 percent of the 1,200 scholarships awarded by the UT Foundation, will become available in January 2024 for the spring semester.
Ohio University previously paused its race-based diversity scholarships following the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action in 2023.
In a statement released on February 22, the university announced, “We are temporarily pausing the awarding of impacted scholarships, which represent a small but important subset of our annual awards, as we contemplate any necessary revisions.”
Scholarships already awarded remained unaffected, but no new race-based scholarships would be granted until the review process was complete.
“As a public institution, we must abide by state and federal laws,” the university explained.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision in the Harvard case, Ohio University began reviewing the selection criteria for admissions and scholarships, along with language in gift agreements.
The university emphasized that the review process is complex and time-consuming, but necessary to ensure compliance with changing legal requirements.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Toledo for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.