decision of the court

“In a 5 to 4 decision involving the University of Michigan School of Law, the United States Supreme Court upheld the "flexible" consideration of race as one factor among many for admissions to public institutions of higher education.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor announced the decision; joining her in the majority ruling were Justices, Stephen G. Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David H. Souter, And John Paul Stevens.
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and, Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy, And Clarence Thomas dissented.”

(http://www.law.duke.edu/publiclaw/supremecourtonline/commentary/gravbol.html)


The Supreme Court’s majority ruling said that the United States Constitution “does not prohibit the law school’s narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions to further a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body.” They believe that the interest in obtaining a “critical mass” of minority groups was a tailored use. They also held that in the future, racial affirmative action would no longer be required.