The presidents of the 114 - member Annapolis Group have issued the following statement on this week's Supreme Court ruling upholding affirmative action in college and university admissions:
"The Annapolis Group, an organization of the nations' leading liberal arts colleges, applauds the Supreme Court's decision regarding the value of diversity.
"The Annapolis Group colleges are committed to providing talented students from diverse backgrounds access to the very best liberal arts education. Ours is an education that prizes close-knit campus communities, that emphasizes positive personal interaction between and among faculty and students, and that promotes learning not only in the classroom but also through a wide range of activities beyond the classroom. To achieve our educational missions, we recognize the importance to our students and to our society of creating a diverse student population and of encouraging genuine interaction among individuals and groups of different backgrounds, ideologies, and experiences. Each of our colleges values the independence to craft a student body by assessing each applicant on his or her own merits, accomplishments, and attributes. We are, therefore, gratified that the Court affirmed both the principle that the diversity of our student bodies is a 'compelling interest' to the nation and the practice of fairly taking students' race, as well as other characteristics, into consideration when making admission decisions. We applaud the Court's careful analysis and thoughtful decision on this important matter of public policy.
"As we have for nearly three centuries, our colleges will continue to strive to serve the interests of our students and of American society, including promoting better intercultural understanding and celebrating our nation's rich diversity."
The Annapolis Group is a consortium of the nation's leading independent liberal arts colleges whose members work collaboratively and cooperatively to promote greater public understanding and recognition of the distinct value of a residential liberal arts education.
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