Jocelyn Ricard, a Ph.D. candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine, boasts impressive achievements. Her accolades include the Knight-Hennessy and Ford Foundation Fellowships, along with publications in renowned journals like Nature Neuroscience and The Lancet Psychiatry. Ricard’s research delves into substance-use disorders and the impact of inequity on brain function, a passion ignited by her family’s struggles with addiction and incarceration. She attributes her entry into this field to the University of Minnesota’s Multicultural Summer Research Opportunities Program (MSROP), which she joined before her sophomore year.
Ricard, a low-income, first-generation student, found MSROP’s “multicultural” label a welcoming invitation. “I think MSROP changed my life,” she said, emphasizing how it offered students from underrepresented racial groups a chance to learn research skills, write abstracts, and network. The program also provided a supportive community of peers. However, MSROP has since been discontinued following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning race-based admissions and state laws restricting campus diversity efforts.
Such pipeline programs, once common on college campuses, are increasingly contested. Conservative groups advocate for “equality” over “equity,” arguing against race-based support. The Equal Protection Project (EPP), a conservative legal group, has been active in challenging race and gender-based student services. From February 2023 to September 2024, EPP filed 43 complaints with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, among other legal actions.
William A. Jacobson, founder of the Legal Insurrection Foundation, argues that race-based exclusions harm certain groups, like white students. However, Derek W. Black, an education law expert, believes campuses are overreacting to the Supreme Court ruling, which only prohibited racial box-checking in admissions. He suggests that programs could still focus on experiences of specific racial groups without excluding others.
The University of Minnesota’s response to a civil rights complaint led to rebranding MSROP as “Pathways to Graduate School: Summer Research Program,” now devoid of race or gender mentions. The university maintains it considers students’ contributions to diversity. Meanwhile, targeted programs remain crucial, especially in STEM fields where Black and Hispanic students are underrepresented.
Research shows that race-based support and pipeline programs aid underrepresented students in entering and persisting in fields like STEM. However, legal challenges have prompted some institutions to broaden eligibility criteria.
Programs like MIT’s CRWN, initially for women of color, now include all students, following a complaint. Even mentoring initiatives, like the University of Arkansas’s BIPOC Mentoring Circle, face scrutiny. Yet, the Latinx On The Rise Mentoring Program continues to match Hispanic students with professionals, offering invaluable guidance and career opportunities.
Diversity experts argue that inclusive programs are essential to support students from underrepresented backgrounds. Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, warns against ignoring the unique needs of these students. Instead of dropping race-based labels, some institutions are adopting terms like “low-income” or “first-generation” to maintain support while avoiding legal challenges.
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