Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

Definition

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1978 that ruled the use of racial quotas in college admissions is unconstitutional, but race can be one factor among many considered in a holistic review.

Analogy

Think about making a smoothie with various ingredients. You can't just fill it up with strawberries (racial quotas), but you can add some strawberries along with bananas, yogurt, and spinach to make a balanced smoothie (holistic review).

Related terms

Affirmative Action: Policies designed to help groups historically subject to discrimination have better access to opportunities like education and employment.

Equal Protection Clause: Part of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting states from denying any person within its jurisdiction equal protection under the law.

Diversity: The inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization.