Hostos Community College Holds Discussion on Affirmative Action and the Future of Higher Education

Yesterday, February 26, Hostos Community College convened a panel of experts to discuss the implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action. Althea Sterling, Interim Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Management (SDEM), moderated the conversation with guest speaker and seasoned higher education administrator Mavis Hall and Philip Oliveri, Hostos Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator. The Supreme Court decision, which has disrupted long-standing efforts to promote diversity in higher education, was examined through its impact on students, faculty, and institutions nationwide. Now in its fifth edition, this event is the first of Spring 2025 Black @ Hostos Town Hall Series, an initiative that emerged from the 2020 calls for racial justice and continues to foster critical conversations on race, equity, and inclusion within and beyond the college community.

During her opening remarks, Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Hostos President, reaffirmed the institution’s deep-rooted commitment to diversity and inclusion. “Since November 6, as you know, I have affirmed that Hostos embraces everyone –– every race, every gender, every ethnicity, every religion,” she stated, underscoring the College’s dedication to providing opportunities for all students, regardless of background, as an open-admissions school. She reflected on her experiences as an educator and leader, emphasizing the importance of fostering an environment where students feel seen, supported, and empowered. “We learn more from our students than they learn from us,” she remarked. “Let’s stay humble and understand that today’s conversation is about listening, learning, and ensuring that we continue to provide access to education for those who need it most.” Philip Oliveri, Hostos Chief Diversity Officer, presented a historical and legal overview through decades of Supreme Court cases that shaped affirmative action policies. He examined “San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez” (1973), which ruled that education is not a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution; “Regents of the University of California v. Bakke” (1978), which ruled against strict racial quotas while upholding the use of race as one of many factors in admissions; and "Grutter v. Bollinger” (2003), which reinforced the importance of diversity in educational settings. He then addressed the more recent “Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard & University of North Carolina” (2023) ruling, which dismantled race-conscious admissions, fundamentally altering the landscape of higher education. “For decades, race-conscious policies were deemed constitutional because they contributed to a compelling interest in creating diverse educational environments that benefit all students,” he explained. “Now, the Supreme Court has reversed course, stating that even considering race as one of many factors violates the Equal Protection Clause. The question is: how do institutions uphold their commitment to diversity within these new legal constraints?”

The discussion then turned to the human impact of the ruling with Mavis Hall, a longtime diversity advocate who shared insights from her 40-year career in higher education. “I’m a recovering Chief Diversity Officer,” she said with a wry laugh, acknowledging the immense challenges of her work. “This isn’t just about admissions. It’s about who gets access to opportunity, sees themselves represented in leadership, and feels like they belong in these spaces.” She traced the evolution of affirmative action from its early foundations in Equal Opportunity (EO) initiatives, noting that the same arguments used decades ago to challenge workplace diversity efforts are now resurfacing in education. “The fear we’re seeing is real,” she said. “But we have to ask ourselves: fear of what? Fear that the status quo is changing? That institutions are becoming more representative of the communities they serve?” As the conversation deepened, both panelists addressed alternative strategies institutions can use to maintain diversity despite the ruling. Hall emphasized that community colleges, including Hostos, have long embraced holistic admissions practices prioritizing students’ lived experiences over standardized test scores alone. “What these elite institutions are scrambling to figure out right now, we’ve been doing for years,” Hall said. “We’ve always looked at the whole student, their challenges, their resilience, their potential. Because we know that a test score doesn’t define a person’s ability to succeed.”

Oliveri agreed, outlining legal pathways colleges and universities can take to ensure equitable access. He pointed to socioeconomic-based admissions models that prioritize students from low-income backgrounds, as well as targeted recruitment efforts in under-resourced communities. “If the Supreme Court is saying race cannot be a factor, then institutions must turn to the factors that disproportionately affect students of color [such as] poverty, school funding disparities, first-generation college status,” he explained. “And here’s the legal advantage: the Supreme Court has ruled that wealth is not a protected class under the Constitution. That means policies based on economic disadvantage are subject to a lower level of judicial scrutiny, making them more legally viable.”

The discussion also touched on the importance of civic engagement and political advocacy. Hall urged attendees to be proactive in holding policymakers accountable. “Do you know who your elected officials are?” she asked the audience. “Do you know where they stand on these issues? Because if you don’t, I guarantee you there are people working very hard to make sure your voice doesn’t get heard.” She shared her experience taking students to Albany to meet with legislators, emphasizing the power of grassroots advocacy. “Our students need to see that change isn’t just something that happens in courtrooms or boardrooms. It happens when people demand it. It happens when we show up.”
 
The conversation left attendees with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency, highlighting the crucial role of institutions like Hostos in advancing educational equity. While the legal landscape may shift, the commitment to providing pathways for all students, regardless of race, background, or economic status, remains resolute.
 
About Eugenio María de Hostos Community College
Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities for over half a century. Since 1968, Hostos has been a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs.
 
Hostos offers 28 associate degree programs and one certificate program that facilitate secure transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. A two-time Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence finalist, the College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos also boasts both men's and women's basketball teams, which have won multiple CUNY Athletic Conference and National Junior College Athletic Association championships, with the women's team making history in 2025 as the only team ever to secure eight consecutive titles in CUNY’s history. The College is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 25 colleges.
 
For inquiries, email publicrelations@hostos.cuny.edu.