Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, 579 U.S. ___ (2016)
Fisher v. University of Texas is a landmark Supreme Court case that dealt with the complex issue of affirmative action in university admissions.
Does the University of Texas at Austin’s use of race in its admissions process violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?
Under the Equal Protection Clause, government programs that classify individuals based on race must be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling governmental interest and can only survive if they pass strict scrutiny.
The Supreme Court held that the University of Texas at Austin’s consideration of race as part of a holistic admissions process met the strict scrutiny standard and was constitutional.
Fisher v. University of Texas is significant as it reaffirms the principles set forth in prior affirmative action cases such as Grutter v. Bollinger. It clarifies the application of strict scrutiny to race-conscious admissions policies and serves as a guide for universities seeking to implement similar policies. For law students, this case is a cornerstone for understanding affirmative action's constitutional dimensions and provides insight into judicial reasoning about equal protection.