Judge Dismisses Affirmative Action Suit Against U of Texas | Inside Higher Ed

A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit filed by Students for Fair Admissions, a group that opposes affirmative action, against the University of Texas at Austin. The suit challenged the university’s affirmative action policies, but the judge found that the suit was too similar to a past suit against UT Austin. The university won that suit at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016.

Edward Blum of SFFA said the group would appeal the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

David Hinojosa, director of the Educational Opportunities Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said, “For years, the race-conscious admissions policy at the University of Texas at Austin has helped to advance racial diversity and make certain that underrepresented students of color are not overlooked when applying for admission. This ruling is a key victory not just for the policy, but also for advancing diversity in higher education in Texas and affirmative action overall.”

Students for Fair Admissions also is appealing — to the U.S. Supreme Court — a loss to Harvard University over affirmative action. The Supreme Court is expected to say this fall whether it will hear the appeal.