Readout of White House Event on Advancing Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education

Today, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona hosted a livestreamed event with higher education leaders from across the nation to unveil a new Department of Education report, “Strategies for Increasing Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education.” The report calls on states and higher education leaders to prioritize efforts in the areas of outreach, admissions, financial aid, and college completion that advance diversity on college campuses. 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, which upended decades of precedent on affirmative action that had enabled America’s colleges and universities to build vibrant diverse environments.

During the event, Director Tanden and Secretary Cardona reiterated President Biden and Vice President Harris’ unyielding commitment to expanding access to educational opportunity for all. They underscored how 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. And they expressed their gratitude to participants who represented a range of higher education institutions – including Ivy Leagues, HBCUs, MSIs, and community colleges – for their leadership in adopting key practices promoting diversity in higher education consistent with the law.

Participants in today’s event included:

• Gene Block, Chancellor, University of California, Los Angeles
• Christopher Eisgruber, President, Princeton University
• Anne Kress, President, Northern Virginia Community College
• Patricia McGuire, President, Trinity Washington University
• Javier Reyes, Chancellor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• David Wilson, President, Morgan State University

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