Legal Definitions - Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)

Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) is a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that addressed the legality of affirmative action in university admissions. The Court ruled that a public university's law school could consider race as one factor among many in its admissions process, provided that the approach was "narrowly tailored" and served a "compelling interest." The compelling interest identified by the Court was the educational benefits that arise from a diverse student body, which it deemed essential for a robust exchange of ideas and for preparing students for a diverse society. This means that while quotas or set-asides based on race are unconstitutional, a holistic review process that considers race as one individualized factor to achieve a diverse learning environment is permissible under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of Grutter v. Bollinger:

• Undergraduate Admissions at a State University: Imagine a large state university that receives thousands of applications for its freshman class each year. The admissions committee reviews each application holistically, considering academic achievements (GPA, test scores), extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, and the applicant's background and experiences. As part of this comprehensive review, the committee might consider an applicant's racial or ethnic background as one factor among many to ensure a diverse student body. They do not set aside a specific number of spots for any racial group, nor do they admit less qualified students solely based on race. Instead, they use race as a "plus factor" to achieve the educational benefits that come from having students with varied perspectives, ensuring that the consideration is individualized and not mechanical.

  This illustrates Grutter v. Bollinger because the university is considering race as one element in a broad, individualized assessment of applicants, aiming to create a diverse class that enhances the educational experience for all students, without resorting to quotas or making race the sole determining factor.

• Medical School Admissions: A highly competitive medical school seeks to admit students who will not only excel academically but also contribute to a healthcare workforce capable of serving diverse patient populations and addressing health disparities. In evaluating applicants, the admissions committee considers traditional metrics like GPA and MCAT scores, but also assesses an applicant's life experiences, background, and perspectives, including their racial or ethnic background. This consideration helps the school build a class whose members can bring different viewpoints to medical problems, understand varied cultural contexts in healthcare, and ultimately better serve a diverse society. The school ensures that race is not the deciding factor but one aspect contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the applicant's potential contributions to the diverse learning environment and future profession.

  This demonstrates Grutter v. Bollinger's principle because the medical school is using race as one factor in a holistic review to achieve a diverse student body, recognizing the unique educational and professional benefits that flow from such diversity in a field like medicine, which directly impacts public health and diverse communities.

• Graduate Program in Public Policy: A prestigious graduate program in public policy aims to train future leaders who can develop effective policies for a complex, multicultural society. When reviewing applications, the program's admissions committee looks beyond test scores and undergraduate grades. They consider an applicant's life experiences, including their racial or ethnic background, as part of a broader assessment of their potential to contribute to classroom discussions, research projects, and future policy-making. The goal is to create a cohort of students with varied perspectives on social issues, economic challenges, and governance, believing that this diversity enriches the learning environment and better prepares graduates to address real-world problems in a diverse nation.

  This example aligns with Grutter v. Bollinger because it shows another type of graduate program using race as one factor in a holistic admissions process to achieve a diverse student body. The program's rationale is rooted in the educational benefits derived from diverse perspectives, which are crucial for training professionals who will serve a diverse public and tackle complex societal issues.