01-07-2025
Harvard College was a primary defendant in the lawsuit underlying the Supreme Court decision prohibiting race as a consideration in admission decisions. A Harvard law professor who has studied Black representation in the legal profession told the New York Times that the decision and Harvard being named created a chilling effect. The law school enrolled 19 first-year Black students, the lowest number since 1965. Last year, 43 Black students enrolled, and some years as many as 70 have attended.
In addition, Harvard saw a decline in Hispanic student enrollment, with 39 students coming this fall, down from 63 students in 2023. While not as steep, undergraduate enrollment of these students also decreased. The Harvard Black Law Students Association president said the Supreme Court ruling has “broken something fundamental about the experience” of attending Harvard Law. Black and Hispanic enrollment also dropped at the other named school in the lawsuit, the University of North Carolina.
A Harvard spokesperson told the NYT that the institution is still convinced that a diverse student body is a “vital component of legal education.” The law school cautions that one year of enrollment data is insufficient to draw long-term conclusions. Harvard’s diverse enrollment numbers dropped more than at other prestigious institutions. Stanford experienced an increase in the number of Black law students enrolled. A UCLA law professor (and critic of affirmative action) told the NYT that Black student enrollment across all law schools increased by three percent. He believes those students rejected by Harvard or UNC chose other law schools “where they’re better matched[,] and they’re poised to succeed.” He agrees that fewer Black lawyers would be bad for society but asserts that the opposite seems to be happening.