President's Message on Supreme Court Affirmative Action Decisions

Dear SUA community:

I am writing to express my concern about today’s Supreme Court rulings, which found that race-conscious admission programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina are unconstitutional.

The decisions to effectively end affirmative action in higher education admissions could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for students from communities that have historically been marginalized and underrepresented on U.S. college and university campuses.

At SUA, we practice a holistic admission review process to ensure a diverse student body that lives and learns together, and we will always work to ensure equitable access to higher education. That effort is deeply embedded in the foundation of our institution and our commitment to educating global citizens.

One of the core attributes of global citizenship, according to our university founder Daisaku Ikeda, is “The courage not to fear or deny difference but to respect and strive to understand people of different cultures and to grow from encounters with them.”

The court’s decisions only strengthen my commitment to ensuring that SUA’s policies and practices are rooted in a culture where all people are treated with respect, feel welcomed and included, and are able to participate fully and achieve their greatest potential. We will continue to work with our community, our Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and professional organizations to ensure we understand the legal implications of the Supreme Court decisions.

Our commitment to equity of access to an SUA education will not waiver.

Sincerely,
Edward M. Feasel
President

Note: A version of this message was delivered to the SUA community via email on June 29, 2023.