On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, ruling that they violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Below are statements from University of �鶹��ý President David Lassner and �鶹��ý leaders, along with sections of the ruling and dissenting opinion.

UH President David Lassner statement

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is beyond disappointing. With the adoption of our new strategic plan by the University of �鶹��ý Board of Regents in November 2022 we have recommitted ourselves to diversity and equity as Foundational Principles. Notwithstanding the new ban on use of race in admissions decisions, UH stands firmly committed to provide higher education opportunities for all, especially those historically underrepresented in our student bodies, as well as to continue to diversify our faculty, staff, and leadership. The families and communities of �鶹��ý need and deserve no less.

UH takes great pride in the fact that our campuses are often ranked as the most diverse in the country, reflecting the population of �鶹��ý. Our seven UH community colleges have an “open door” admissions policy, and our three universities currently admit all qualified undergraduate applicants to the campus. Our strong commitment to student diversity and equity focuses on encouraging and welcoming students from all backgrounds, especially those who have been underrepresented, into higher education and then supporting their success once enrolled.

We are now analyzing the Supreme Court ruling and will need to determine if any changes will be required to adhere to the ruling while maintaining our commitments to diversity and equity to meet the educational and workforce needs of �鶹��ý.”

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in the decision joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett

“Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful endpoints. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today. At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise. But despite the dissent’s assertion to the contrary, universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor in the dissent joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson

“Today, this court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress. It holds that race can no longer be used in a limited way in college admissions to achieve such critical benefits. In so holding, the court cements a superficial rule of colorblindness as a constitutional principle in an endemically segregated society where race has always mattered and continues to matter.

The court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society. Because the court’s opinion is not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, I dissent.”

U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono statement

A University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� academic who fosters the campus’ aspiration to become a has been selected to join an inaugural cohort of a national program aimed at advancing racial and health equity. On June 6 Native Hawaiian Affairs Program Officer Kaiwipunikauikawēkiu Punihei Lipe will be the only representative from �鶹��ý when she joins 39 leaders from 21 states around the country as they commence the first cohort of the (CoHLI), a program run by the National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE) in Washington D.C.

As the nation continues to battle historic and contemporary effects of racism, Lipe and fellow practitioners will gain tools and resources during the 18-month program to hold public officials and private sector leaders more accountable for real progress for racial and health equity. The kanaka ʻōiwi (Native Hawaiian) scholar was selected after a competitive process and is among talented community leaders across the nation chosen for their leadership experiences in the policy, law, grassroots organizations, education and health fields.

“My main mission when it comes to implementation here at UH ����ԴDz� and in �鶹��ý is to bring as many innovative and strategic strategies that can help us to scale up and sustain �鶹��ý-grounded efforts that foster truth sharing, racial healing, and relationship building deep within and across sectors so that we can create the healthy, loving, and thriving futures our keiki and moʻopuna (grandchildren) deserve,” Lipe said. “It is an immense honor and I am really excited for the opportunity to work with other scholar practitioners who are doing work in this area and who value the importance of the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) framework.”

In 2019, Lipe was one of 200 emerging leaders from the Asia-Pacific region selected for the Obama Foundation Leaders: Asia-Pacific Program. She joined former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, and other prominent speakers and leaders for discussions around progress and opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region and values-based leadership.

Lipe also leads the UH ����ԴDz� TRHT Campus Center which is one of the 50 trail-blazing campuses across �鶹��ý and the U.S. selected to develop visionary action plans that prepare the next generation of leaders to advance justice and build equitable communities.

Advancing truth, racial healing and transformation

The CoHLI program will meet virtually each month and engage in learning opportunities with experts, and individualized coaching using the TRHT framework to strengthen the ecosystem of practitioners. The cohort will focus work in one of five areas: narrative change, racial healing and relationship building, separation, law and economy.

“We are thrilled for our first cohort and are eager to see the transformational changes required for our communities to heal and thrive and, ultimately, end the absurd belief in a hierarchy of human value,” said Gail Christopher, executive director at NCHE. “The selected practitioners represent some of the brightest minds advancing racial and health equity in our communities today, and it is our hope that the program will only amplify their work further.”

The CoHLI is a leadership program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The is one of 15 institutions across the country selected to participate in a newly launched program designed to help eliminate race, ethnicity and income as predictors of student success. The inaugural Transformation Accelerator Cohort (TAC) program is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. UH Hilo was selected by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) through a competitive application process.

“UH Hilo is thrilled to partner with AASCU and an extraordinary, diverse group of minority-serving campuses, all of whom share in our commitment to advancing student success and eliminating equity gaps in completion,” said UH Hilo Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Kris Roney. “Having personally witnessed the transformations that come from AASCU projects like this one and knowing the successes of some of our partner campuses, I know UH Hilo’s communities will benefit from these challenging conversations and spaces for innovative projects designed with equity for our students and communities in mind.”

The TAC cohort involves peer-to-peer learning across institutions in-person and virtually. Participants will have access to resources, including online modules and webinars, and receive support from subject matter experts in data analytics, equity, student success, advising, institutional transformation and strategic and systems planning.

Among the participating institutions are seven Hispanic-serving schools, three historically Black colleges and universities and predominantly Black institutions, and three Asian American and Native American Pacific-Islander serving institutions.