The recent decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on two affirmative action cases involving race-conscious admissions practices has been one the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) has been watching closely.  

The Supreme Court’s decision to ban race-conscious admissions practices will not affect any of UNC’s undergraduate or graduate admissions processes. UNC’s admissions policies and practices focus on admitting all students who are qualified and prepared using a holistic review of each student, including academics, extracurricular and personal experiences, and opportunities to provide supplemental materials such as personal statements and letters of recommendation for review.  

As a part of our commitment to providing all qualified and prepared students access to higher education, UNC implemented the Colorado First-Year Admissions Guarantee. The first-of-its-kind admissions guarantee was implemented prior to the Supreme Court’s decision, recognizing the importance of removing unnecessary barriers within the college admissions process and ensuring qualified students are not limited in their ability to earn admission and ultimately experience the high-quality academics and supportive learning environment UNC provides.  

UNC’s mission has been built upon a commitment to teaching and education. Our foundational values as a teacher’s college have not changed since 1889 and we stand steadfast to teaching and educating ALL students. As stated in our institutional strategic plan, Rowing, Not Drifting 2030, “Many [students] are first in their family to attend college. Many hold diverse and intersecting identities. Many come to UNC with a goal to change the social and economic condition of their family and the world. All deserve to succeed.” 

As an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution, UNC is committed to college access and celebrating and nurturing students from all backgrounds and identities, especially marginalized and minoritized populations. We are proud that 33% of our students self-identify as non-white, 25.5% identify as Hispanic/Latinx, 41% are first-generation and 86% of our students are from the state of Colorado.  

UNC remains steadfast in our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we will continue to offer a supportive and high-quality academic experience for all students. 

– this message is on behalf of Cedric Howard, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services and Tobias Guzmán, vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.