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# Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Strategies to Increase Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education

# Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Strategies to Increase Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education

September 28, 2023

**Contact:  **press@ed.gov

                                    -        
As  part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing commitment to advance  diversity and opportunity in higher education, the U.S. Department of Education  today released a report, “Strategies  for Increasing Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education,” that calls on  states and higher education leaders to prioritize efforts that advance  diversity on college campuses. The report outlines evidence-based strategies  and practices in the areas of outreach, admissions, financial aid, and college  completion. And it answers President Biden’s charge to the Department to  elevate promising practices to build inclusive, diverse student bodies in the  wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in *Students for Fair  Admissions, Inc. v. President*and*Fellows  of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of  North Carolina et al.*(collectively “*SFFA*”).

“One of the cruelest ironies in America’s current higher education  system is that our most inclusive and accessible institutions have lacked  adequate resources to invest in student success, while highly selective  institutions with vast resources to invest in students and propel them to  graduation day admit overwhelmingly affluent applicants with a myriad of  advantages,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “This report  reflects President Biden and Vice President Harris’ unyielding commitment to equal  opportunity and provides colleges and universities with a roadmap for advancing  student body diversity. This moment demands leadership, innovation, and  collaboration from leaders at every level to break down barriers for  underserved students and reimagine pathways into higher education. Our future  is brighter when we prepare students of all backgrounds to lead our multiracial  democracy together.”

The  Administration encourages institutions of higher education and state leaders to  use this resource to consider the ways in which they can expand access to  educational opportunity for all. The report provides evidence for steps leaders  can take to enhance socioeconomic and racial diversity in colleges, including:
- Investing in targeted       recruitment, outreach, and pathway programs, including with K–12 schools,       community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, Tribal       Colleges and Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions, including       Hispanic Serving Institutions;
- Giving meaningful consideration       in admissions to the adversity students have faced, including a students’       financial means, where a student grew up or attended high school, and       personal experiences of hardship and discrimination, including racial       discrimination, and ending practices that hinder socioeconomic and racial       diversity;
- Increasing affordability,       including through need-based aid, and ensuring transparency and simplicity       in student aid application processes; and
- Cultivating welcoming and       supportive environments for students and providing comprehensive support       programs that increase retention and completion rates.

This  new report is one of several swift actions taken  by the Biden-Harris Administration to respond to the Court’s decision in *SFFA*. Following the Court’s decision President Biden and Vice President Harris called on colleges,  universities, and other stakeholders to seize the opportunity to expand access  to educational opportunity for all students, and to build diverse student  bodies, including by recognizing and valuing students who have overcome  adversity. The Administration remains committed to advancing access to  education for all Americans and to promoting diversity in higher education  consistent with the law. The Administration has taken steps to support our  Nation's colleges and universities so they can continue building pathways to  upward mobility and preparing students from all backgrounds to thrive in our  workforce.

“Our  country’s greatest strength is the diversity of our people,” said Under  Secretary James Kvaal. “That’s why we’re calling upon state, college, and  university leaders to renew their commitments to opportunity for all students.  Moving forward, we will work with institutions and leaders across the country  to ensure we can continue to make progress in closing equity gaps in higher  education so that all students can reap the benefits of college degrees and  credentials.”

Diverse college campuses can provide experiences that increase critical  thinking, civic engagement, leadership skills, and cross-racial interaction for  all students, and they allow students from all backgrounds the chance to pursue  and achieve the benefits of postsecondary education, such as economic and  social mobility. Having a college experience that is enhanced by a diverse  learning environment ensures that students are able to thrive and compete in  today’s global economy.

Further,  higher education continues to be one of the strongest paths for people to  secure economic mobility. Yet, persistent socioeconomic and racial gaps remain  in higher education access. Students of color and lower income students are  less likely to apply, be admitted, and complete their programs. This is  particularly true at highly-selective institutions, which have vast resources  and provide their students with substantial advantages and can propel them to a  promising future.

In  producing this report, the Department considered peer-reviewed research on  efforts undertaken by institutions, states, and non-profit organizations, as  well as examples of promising efforts underway at institutions. Higher  education leaders can use this evidence as they review their admissions  policies and consider other strategies to ensure their campuses are diverse and  welcoming to all students.

Following  the *SFFA* decision, the Department and the U.S. Department of Justice issued a Dear  Colleague Letter and a Questions  and Answers resource that distills  the Court’s core holding and offers examples of steps colleges and universities  can lawfully take to achieve a student body that is diverse across a range of  factors, including race and ethnicity.

As  part of these continued efforts, the Department will consider ways to collect  and publish additional information on college applications and enrollment  trends, including how these data can be disaggregated by race and ethnicity,  first-generation status, legacy status, and other important measures. The  Department will also begin to assist states, territories, and Tribal Nations  with using their data to improve college recruitment, admissions, and financial  aid practices. This work builds upon the historic efforts of the Biden-Harris  Administration to ensure all students have the opportunity to access higher  education, including securing a historic increase in the Pell Grant, fixing the  broken student loan system, and supporting HBCUs, MSIs, and community colleges.

More information on the work the Biden-Harris Administration is doing to  continue building success for all students to thrive can be found here.
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