Affirmative Action Statement

Response to Summer 2023 Supreme Court Ruling

Through years of intentional and considerate action, UArts’ commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives has catalyzed meaningful change across our campus. As outlined in UArts’ Inclusion and Diversity Statement, the university will always remain committed to diversity as a means to further enrich our global cultural dialogue and to uncover new pathways for artistic collaboration. By prioritizing access to an exemplary arts-based education and uplifting all voices, our students will continue to emerge as visionary creative leaders, while future generations will discover a welcoming environment with peers who are eager to embrace their identities and artistic vision. 

That is why UArts is deeply disheartened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s late-June ruling that declared that Harvard and University of North Carolina’s race-conscious admissions programs, recognized more familiarly as affirmative action, violate the 14^th Amendment’s equal protection clause. This holding runs counter to the very values we strive to embody as an institution.

Though we strongly disagree with this decision, UArts is legally obligated to adhere to the ruling and will do so. Concurrently, we reaffirm our enduring commitment to our mission; core values; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across all aspects of our university. We remain dedicated in our efforts to enroll and provide robust financial aid to students with a broad range of backgrounds, passions, and perspectives. We view these practices as critical to our continued success and responsible for shaping our empathetic and brilliantly creative community.